<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">With a view to building better transport and road infrastructure that would support industry and trade in the country, the government is working for construction of more elevated expressways and large bridges integrating existing bridges, flyovers, highways and tunnels.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While economists say the construction of the 6.51-kilometer Padma Bridge at an estimated cost of $3.6 billion would benefit the country’s $500 billion economy, the government’s policymakers are now keen to move ahead with more infrastructure projects that would consolidate the country’s ability to embrace both domestic and foreign investment more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The policymakers say they are inspired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s courage and leadership that helped the nation overcome all the challenges to build the Padma Bridge with own funds. The opening of the bridge in June has connected the country’s second largest Mongla Seaport to make it a vibrant hub for exports and imports while at least 21 districts in the southern and southwestern regions have been networked with Dhaka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to an official document seen by UNB, authorities are pushing hard to complete the ongoing projects while taking up new schemes is also being considered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The document says the construction of 3.32-kilometer Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River is about to be completed and the tunnel is expected to be opened by December 2022.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, the construction of 46.73-kilometer Elevated Expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway is in progress.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">About 78.94 percent construction work of the first part (Airport-Banani) has already been completed. The physical progress of the entire project is 43.60 percent, the document says.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand, 69 percent of construction of 20-kilometer Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane from Gazipur to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been completed while the work on the Airport to Mohakhali is progressing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Land acquisition for 24-kilometer Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway project from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Savar EPZ via Ashulia is underway, it says.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, feasibility study for construction of a bridge over Meghna river on Bhulta-Araihazar- Bancharampur road, construction of Kalabadar and Tetulia bridges on Barisal-Bhola road, a two-storey road from Mithamoin Cantonment to Marichkhali in Karimganj upazila of Kishoreganj district are underway.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, feasibility study for construction of a tunnel under the Jamuna river is going on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The document says that the government has adopted a time-bound Action Plan to build an integrated metro-rail system of 129.901-kilometer (68.729-kilometer long elevated and 61.172-kilometer long underground) with 105 stations (52 surface and 53 underground) under the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), comprising six metro rail lines to reduce traffic congestion and improve the environment of the Dhaka Metropolitan City and surrounding areas by 2030.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following this action plan, the construction of the first ever metro rail system from Uttara 3rd phase to Motijheel, which will be 20.10-kilometer long with 16 stations, is at the final stage.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime, Metrorail has completed its trial run from Uttara 3rd phase station to Agargaon successfully. This part is set be launched for commercial use by December 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The remaining part from Agargaon to Motijheel is expected to go on commercial operation by December 2023. Later on, it will be extended by 1.16 kilometers from Motijheel to Kamlapur.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, detailed design works of Southern Route of MRT Line-5 and Northern Route of MRT Line-1 are about to be completed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the document, the government has also taken up a plan to introduce MRT system in Chattogram city.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the last 13 years, the government has implemented 357 road development projects and taken up 448 new projects. At the same time, 173.20 kilometers of National Highways have been upgraded to 4-lane or above.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Work is also underway to upgrade 914.84 kilometers of highway to 4 lanes or above, it added, recently, construction of the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway and the Gazipur- Tangail 6-lane road have been completed and opened to traffic.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, work for upgradation of the Elenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur highway and Chattagram-Cox’s Bazar highway to 4 lanes are almost completed.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Construction work has also begun to upgrade the Dhaka-Sylhet highway to 4 lanes. At present, 26 projects under the Road Transport and Highways Division are being implemented. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>