DHAKA: The main construction work of converting the Dhaka-Chittagong highway into four-lane is going on in full swing.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader Sunday hoped that the project of widening the 192-kilometre Dhaka-Chittagong highway will be completed by June.

The minister expressed his hope while inaugurating 10 bridges on Hathazari-Fatikchhari-Khagrachhari regional highway and Dhaka-Chittagong highway this morning.

Obaidul Quader said, “After the end of the project by June, it will take about four and half-an-hour to five hours to go to Chittagong from Dhaka.”

The minister inaugurated the development projects through video conference at roads and highways department in capital’s Agargaon area where Road Transport and Bridges ministry secretary MNA Siddique, roads and highway department’s chief engineer M Firoz Iqbal and officers of the ministry were present.

The construction of 14 bypasses on the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway will be completed by April, he said.

The minister added, “Among widening work of the 192-kilometre Dhaka-Chittagong highway, the carpeting in 115km of the road has already been completed till date and rests will be done by next June.  Three rail overpasses will take some time.”

Regarding the newly-opened bridges, Obaidul Quader said, “Through the inauguration of these bridges and roads, a new era of connectivity was opened among the hill districts. A revolutionary change in communications of those districts has been commenced.”
 
After completion the rests of the bridges, people of these districts can travel directly without using Chittagong highway, said the senior AL lawmaker adding “Two years ago, those roads were in appalling condition.”

Two years ago, the minister inaugurated the construction works of the brides in person involving Tk133.24-crore. Among those development projects, four were constructed with JICA fund while rests were funded by the government.

Khagrahchhori local lawmaker, deputy commissioner Wahiduzzaman and officers of engineering department were present during the time.

Qbaidul Quader branded Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the ICT adviser to PM Sheikh Hasina, as ‘pioneer of the revolution’ in building digital Bangladesh.

According to the conditions of peace treaty, 90 percent works of road communication in the hill districts have already been completed. Rests work will be done by next one year, the senior AL leader hoped.

BDST: 1434 HRS, FEB 15, 2015