I don't get self-declared corrupt officials. Why would anybody declare himself (herself) to be corrupt? Do they (the newspaper) mean they (the corrupt folks) admitted guilt under interrogation?

I too was confused as to the meaning of "self-declared corrupt officials" because even a thief when caught red handed usually claims not guilty or finds some other excuse. The minister himself wants to portray to us that he is the sincerest and most honest person in the country so I wonder why the 7 minions would say "hein, ami durnitibaj".

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/4645/38530410150424861134030.jpg
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/6097/30397110150424855959030.jpg http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4929/30397110150424855964030.jpg http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/1641/30397110150424855979030.jpg http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7425/30397110150424855984030.jpg http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/5715/38530410150424861114030.jpg http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/4645/38530410150424861134030.jpg http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8449/38530410150424861139030.jpg http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/1921/38530410150424861144030.jpg http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1204/38530410150424861149030.jpg http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/628/39237110150428027019030.jpg http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/628/39237110150428027019030.jpg sorry about the images, i'm not sure how fix that. I tired. this some pics from one of sri lanka's highways, my question is why cant we build our new expressways like this? instead of trying to follow india. :nuts:

when I look at the indian highways thread they are even complaining about their new highways too. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=86085098&postcount=1212

why cant we build something like this from the very start by putting some sort of standards regulations in place and eliminating corruption and getting the job done the start, instead of building some half baked highway then spending more money later on fix that up.

Work is going on for 4 lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It would be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka in 2 to 3 hours when the project is completed as per plan. There would be several bridges,flyovers,underpasses,foot-over bridges, bus stoppages, road-divider etc in the project.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/334/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/233/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg/)

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/334/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/265/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg/)

.. It would be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka in 2 to 3 hours maximum when the project is completed as per plan. ..


2-3 hours??!! :nuts:

As I used to be a regular on that highway (road :)), I won't be that much optimistic. I remember back in the 90s and even until 2003, we used to start from Chittagong after the Fajr prayer, say around 6-6:30am, would have our breakfast at Comilla around 9am and then start again and reach Dhaka by 11am. Now, I look at newspapers and also hear from others that you'd consider yourself lucky if it took you less that 9 hours!!

So, not 2-3 hours, I would be happy even if they could bring the 9 hours down to 4 hours.

Work is going on for 4 lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It would be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka in 2 to 3 hours maximum when the project is completed as per plan. There would be several bridges,flyovers,underpasses,foot-over bridges, bus stoppages, road-divider etc in the project.

I read somewhere (probably Daily Star) just last week, that the project is stalled owing to non availability of land. Apparently influential people are preventing the land owners to sell in order to extort much higher prices than they were agreed upon. There was also some other glitch, the details of which I forget now.

This comment was posted in this youtube video -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UZ5a6nhqR4

Thank you for your comments. I will soon upload another project we worked on 2009 with Ministry of Communication and SNC Lavalin, Canada named: Dhaka-Chittagong Access Controlled Highway which i believe if executed, will most definitely have the greatest impact in the economic of Bangladesh as a whole. It will be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka in max. 2hrs. and there will be separate service route for trucks and service vehicles.

The uploader will soon upload another project design named ''Dhaka-Chittagong Access Controlled Highway''

^^I last traveled on this road in late August of this year and also posted photos of its dilapidated condition in this thread. The project has started but as Towhid bhai mentioned, AL stalwarts in Comilla, Feni and Chittagong are trying their best to extort as much money as possible from the project. This has led to stalling of the project in many locations such as Chouddahgram, Mohipal, Mirsarai and Sitakunda, to name a few.

I remember as a little kid(early 70's) going from Joydevpur to Noakhali in about 8 hours when there were no bridges on the Sitalakhya, Gomti and Meghna. After the bridges, it took only 3 hours to get from Feni to Dhaka but now the same distance takes 6-7 hours on a good day and over 12 when the jam is horrible.

^^The Sri Lankan highway looks very modern and similar to what i saw in Malaysia. I hope DAC-CTG highway comes to fruition with similar looking features.

This comment was posted in this youtube video -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UZ5a6nhqR4

Thank you for your comments. I will soon upload another project we worked on 2009 with Ministry of Communication and SNC Lavalin, Canada named: Dhaka-Chittagong Access Controlled Highway which i believe if executed, will most definitely have the greatest impact in the economic of Bangladesh as a whole. It will be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka in max. 2hrs. and there will be separate service route for trucks and service vehicles.

The uploader will soon upload another project design named ''Dhaka-Chittagong Access Controlled Highway''

Two hours max? What would be the average speed? Instead of tall tales being told by the government, if they strive to reduce the travel time to less than four hours, it will be a vast improvement, for which people will be very grateful.

Work is going on for 4 lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It would be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka in 2 to 3 hours when the project is completed as per plan. There would be several bridges,flyovers,underpasses,foot-over bridges, bus stoppages, road-divider etc in the project.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/334/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/233/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg/)

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/334/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/265/ctg4bd20111004131770312.jpg/)

When will this be complete and opened to the public?

Communications gets govt's all dream schemes in a mess

M Abul Kalam Azad and Sharier Khan
The Daily Star
Thursday, December 8, 2011

The dream projects in the communications sector are more or less stalled owing to fund crunch, wrong selection of bidder, inefficiency of the relevant ministry and inflexibility at the highest level.

As a measure to get out of this stagnant situation, the government on Monday removed Syed Abul Hossain as the communications minister and gave the charge to Obaidul Quader.

Talking to The Daily Star before the reshuffle, Abul Hossain had blamed the fund crisis and complexities in government procedure behind the stalemate.

The Padma Bridge project had become uncertain as the government appeared to be unwilling to remove Abul Hossain. The World Bank, the project's lead financier, had brought corruption allegation against the former communications minister and it seemed unless he was removed the bank would not release funds for the project.

The Metro Rail project that was expected to be the main solution to the problem of city commuting has also become uncertain due to the opposition of the Bangladesh Air Force to a part of its route. Instead of brushing aside the objection, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opted for an alternative route in line with the air force's recommendation. This change has slowed down the project's Japanese financing, which was earlier ready to go.

The construction of the 21-kilometre elevated expressway has not started even 10 months after the signing of a deal with the contractor. This project stalled mainly because the contractor could not manage funds for the job while the government is yet to finish acquiring land for the mega construction.

A two-year-old plan for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) between Sadarghat and Gazipur via the airport is also stuck in bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Similarly, the communications ministry floated an idea of constructing elevated U-turns and underpasses for uninterrupted traffic flow between Azimpur and Gabtoli, which also got entangled in red tape and did not evolve as a project to be executed due to a fund crunch.

The government had placed the highest emphasis on upgrading the two-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway into four lanes at a cost of Tk 2,300 crore. But till date, the progress of the project has been so disappointing that it will take many extra years to be completed.

The project's contractors have stopped or slowed down work due to hindrances by extortionists, politicians and even parliamentarians. For its part, the government did not take any successful measures to stop such illegal activities.

The work on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway was supposed to be completed by December 2013, but as the reality stands only 17 per cent progress has been made so far. Upgrading the highway is vital for the country's economic growth.

The Tk 904-crore project to widen the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway has become even more uncertain as one of the bidders who obtained a good part of the job turned out to have won the tender by submitting fake documents. So the government has cancelled the bid for constructing 30km of the 87km highway while the bidder has sued the communications ministry. The progress of the remaining part is also unsatisfactory.

Padma Bridge
The future of the $2.97 billion project had plunged into uncertainty as the prime minister took a long time to take action against the former communications minister.

Instead of addressing the WB complaint brought against Abul Hossain a couple of months ago, the government made a move to construct the 2nd Padma Bridge, apparently in a counter action against the WB stance. It has relied on a casual fund assurance from a Malaysian company. Sources, however, said Malaysia itself was sitting on several infrastructure projects due to fund crunch.

The feasibility study and design of the Padma Bridge were completed in 2010 and the construction work was supposed to begin in 2011 with a target of finishing it by 2014. The government by this time has spent over Tk 1,000 crore for the design, land acquisition, compensation and rehabilitation of the affected people. It signed loan agreements of $1.2 billion with the WB, $615 million with Asian Development Bank, $140 million with Islamic Development Bank and $400 million with Japan International Cooperative Agency (Jica). Despite that the future of the Padma Bridge is bleak.

Now that the situation is going out of hand, the government has shifted the target toward starting the construction work by the end of its tenure subject to availability of funds. The 6.15 kilometre bridge will connect the south-western parts of the country with the capital and save numerous working hours along with reducing transport cost significantly.

Metro Rail
The metro rail, to be constructed from Uttara Third Phase to Sayedabad, is crucial for the capital as it will facilitate transport for around 60,000 people an hour during the pick time, says a Jica study. But repeated modification of alignment is delaying its construction.

Jica, which is keen to provide 80 per cent of the estimated $2.8 billion project, completed the feasibility study in 2010. The environmental study and loan negotiation were supposed to be completed by 2011 to launch the construction in 2012.

The Bangladesh Air Force raised objections to the proposed 19-metre high metro rail along Bijoy Sarani, arguing that it would hinder military air operations from the Tejgaon airstrip. The air force made a plea that the airfield be kept functional. The prime minister opted for the realignment of the metro rail's route along the parliament complex in line with the air force's suggestion, a move that drew huge flak from different technical experts.

In February, the government modified the route as it was overlapping with the Gulisthan-Jatrabari flyover.

Dhaka Elevated Expressway
Construction of the Tk 8,703-crore ambitious infrastructure was supposed to kick-off by July 19 this year. The government has shifted its target date to March next year as it failed to remove structures and acquire land along the route, while the project contractor, Ital-Thai, could not arrange necessary fund.

The authorities could not resolve all of the 17 direct and indirect conflicting points the expressway would encounter with other ongoing infrastructure projects.

On January 19 this year, the government signed a deal with Ital-Thai to construct the four-lane expressway from Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project.

As per the deal, construction should be completed by June 2014, which in present context is not feasible.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=213234

Communications gets govt's all dream schemes in a mess


I read this yesterday and it was depressing :( . If DAC-CTG highway is not done by 2014, it'll take 24 hrs to travel between the two cities in couple of years.

I read this yesterday and it was depressing :( . If DAC-CTG highway is not done by 2014, it'll take 24 hrs to travel between the two cities in couple of years.

Bangladesh needs something akin to the Arab Spring uprising.

Not only corruption is rampant which people don't seemed to bothered about, the height of incompetency is staggering. And it doesn't make any difference in which (political) party runs the government/country.

^^
Agreed with TIslam :)

This is so frustrating. I was doing a bit of reading today on various other countries, democratic republic of Congo got my interest. Its said that country has an estimated US$24 -36 trillion in mineral wealth under its soil. Holds 80% of worlds cobalt reserves alone. That country has been at war and conflict ever since it gained independence mainly due to fighting over the nations vast wealth, and now the conflict seems to be settling down, however still rampant to hinder growth and development. If that country had peace it would be one the richest countries in the world.

So I thought peace is what is need for growth and development, however bangladesh has been peaceful and relatively stable. However it still remains one of the poorest countries in the world, I blame political leadership, corruption, and no sense of planning and management for this.

To this sense I completely agree with TIslam too, the government needs to be thrown out, crushed, burnt and destroyed. wasted countless decades of times, nothing seems to be still changing. How many more decades are we going to be like this, before someone stands up says something. Our peace and stability is going to last long at this rate.

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_12_04/content_zoom/2011_12_04_5_1_b.jpg

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_12_04/content_zoom/2011_12_04_5_0_b.jpg

great news

RHD begins feasibility study from Monday

Munima Sultana

The government is set to begin a feasibility study from Monday next on two new bridges beside the existing Meghna-Gumti and Kanchpur bridges that are not capable of taking heavy traffic movement, officials said.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader has recently declared that the Meghna, Meghna-Gumti and Kanchpur bridges have become risky for vehicular movement and proscribed plying of overloaded vehicles on them to save those from collapsing.

The officials said amidst such a situation, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) will start the year-long study with technical support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

"The study will find suitable places for the new bridges over the Meghna-Gumti and Shitalakhya rivers," said an RHD official.

He however said the study will also determine the condition of the existing Meghna-Gumti and Kanchpur bridges and recommend possible rehabilitation work for making those fit for traffic movement.

An official said a JICA study team comprising two Japanese companies -- Oriental and Katahira -- arrived in the city Friday to start the study.

According to experts, the 1.4-kilometre Meghna-Gumti and 400-metre Kanchpur bridges have become risky for traffic movement due to the increased traffic on the country's busiest corridor and lack of regular maintenance.

Of the two bridges, the Kanchpur Bridge over the Shitalakhya river is the oldest and carries the country's largest volume of daily traffic as it was until recently the lone bridge to go to south-east and north-east parts of the country from the capital. Another bridge, Sultana Kamal Bridge has been opened this year.

At present, the Kanchpur Bridge carries on an average 25,000 traffic everyday.

The Meghna-Gumti Bridge, constructed in 1995 with Japanese assistance, also experiences per day traffic of not less than 20,000, said the RHD official of Dhaka zone.

The construction of new bridges has become a necessity to match the Dhaka-Chittagong highway which is now being expanded into four-lanes from the existing two-lanes, he added.

The JICA team will conduct the study to do all preliminary work including determining the alignment, lanes and social and environmental issues and traffic surveys.

Source: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=160463&date=2011-12-24

someone please convince our PM that a 6-8 lane motorway was one of bongbobondhu's dreams, just like jamuna bridge! :tongue2:
hey i'm doin my bit.(LMFFFAO).....:bash:

Mega transport plans rolled out in JS
Underground railway in Dhaka, tunnels under Padma, Karnaphuli, 142 new bridges
Staff Correspondent


The government has taken up massive plans including construction of underground railroad across Dhaka city to ease traffic jam and installation of tunnels under the Padma and Karnaphuli rivers.

It also plans to build a total of 142 bridges to expand country's road and railway network.

Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain presented the government plans in parliament in reply to queries from several lawmakers.

Referring to the railway sector, he said the government has taken initiative to add 100 meter gauge coaches to Bangladesh railway.

He said the government is looking for foreign aid to implement 17 mega projects in the communications sector.

The minister told the House that the government has taken a set of measures to curb extortion in the transport sector. The steps include engaging mobile courts and beefing up police patrol on highways.

In reply to a scripted question from BNP lawmaker Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, the communications minister said a process is underway to float tender for feasibility study for the underground railroad across Dhaka city.

He said the government has adopted plans to build flyovers at six level crossings in the city to ease tailbacks.

Soil tests and survey for setting up six flyovers at level crossings in Banani, Maghbazar, FDC, Malibagh, Sayedabad and Jurain have already been completed and their construction is scheduled to be finished by 2012, the minister said.

Design works of the flyovers are at the final stage, he said replying to a query of Jatiya Party lawmaker Salma Islam.

He told the House that the Strategy Transport Plan (STP), already approved by the government, suggests construction of three flyovers at Gulistan-Jatrabari, Gulistan-Mohakhali and Maghbazar-Mouchak points in the capital.

Abul Hossain said design work of a flyover at Tejgaon (Satrasta)-Maghbazar intersection is expected to begin upon approval from the authorities concerned.

The minister told parliament that his ministry would start construction work of the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway this year.

Replying to a supplementary question of Awami League lawmaker Shubid Ali Bhuiyan, he said the ministry has received bids in this regard on September 8.

"The Roads and Highway Division will complete evaluation of the bids by next month," said the minister.

The communication ministry would be able to begin construction work by the end of this year on completion of procedural work by November, he added.

The government has sought foreign aid for implementing 17 mega projects that include construction of second Padma tunnel at Paturia-Daulatdia point and another tunnel under the Karnaphuli River, said the minister.

The projects also include construction of Kazirtak Bridge over Arial Kha river, second Meghna-Gomti Bridge, Lebu Khali Bridge, Kaucha Bridge at Bekutia Barisal-Jhalkathi-Khulna Highway, Rail cum road bridge over Karnaphuli river at Kalurghat and Kalna bridge over Madhumati river.

The minister told parliament that the government plans to complete construction of 51 bridges across the country under the Roads and Highways Department.

He said 142 bridges would be built in Dhaka, Comilla, Sylhet and Chittagong under the Eastern Bangladesh Bridge Improvement Project, financed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

In reply to a query of AL lawmaker Israfil Alam, he said the government plans to add 100 metre gauge coaches to Bangladesh Railway by 2011.

The minister said purchase of new compartments and locomotives are aimed at making the railway sector profitable and popular.

He said the coaches would be purchased under 'Bangladesh Railway Sector Development Project' financed by the Asian Development Bank.

Besides, the government signed an agreement with China on May 4 this year to purchase 50 metre gauge flat wagons and five brake vans by 2011 for transporting containers, said the minister.

Moreover, 21 locomotives will be purchased by 2012, said Abul Hossain.

The government also plans to construct new railroads on different routes including the Chittagong-Dohajari-Cox's Bazar route, the minister added.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=105732

HUh! sigh !:nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts:

HUh! sigh !:nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts:
:nuts::nuts::nuts:

The Daily Star
Monday, January 9, 2012

Rakib Hasnet Suman, from Feni

Thousands of passengers had to endure immense suffering as traffic slowed to a crawl on Dhaka-Chittagong highway yesterday for BNP's road march towards the port city.

The tailback gradually spilled onto other connecting highways. Hundreds of vehicles remained stuck on roads for hours as traffic police were busy helping the BNP Chairperson's motorcade cross the highway.

As part of the main opposition's road march, more than 3,000 vehicles left the BNP central office for Feni at 10:45am causing a severe traffic jam from Motijheel to Chandina in Comilla.

“We are stuck here for more than two hours. We don't know when we will be able to reach the capital,” said a passenger of a Dhaka-bound bus on the highway in Daudkandi at about 1:00pm.

Traffic was so bad that even Khaleda Zia's car took more than an hour to reach Kanchpur Bridge from the party office. At one stage, police and security personnel allowed her car to travel through the wrong side of the highway from Shanir Akhra.

Her motorcade took nearly four hours to reach Chandina. She reached Paduarbazar in Comilla at 4:30pm. She spoke there at a roadside rally that blocked both sides of the road.

She finally arrived in Feni town at about 6:30 pm. Hundreds of BNP supporters gathered on the highway to welcome the BNP chairperson causing a tailback on the motorway.

Rafiqul Islam, driver of a Dhaka-bound bus, said he had remained stuck for two hours near a BNP rally venue at Chandina. He said it took about an hour to cross a hundred yards.

An official of Comilla highway police told The Daily Star that a tailback stretching over 12 to 15 kilometres developed at Chandina and Paduar Bazar in Comilla where Khaleda addressed two roadside rallies.

Moreover, nearly 1,500 arches built at different points on Dhaka-Chittagong highway contributed to the traffic jam.

Meanwhile, most Dhaka-bound vehicles from Narayanganj took the old road (Fatullah-Pagla-Postagola route) to evade traffic jam. But a huge tailback developed on the road as well for excessive number of vehicles, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.

The BNP chief addressed three roadside gatherings and a public rally in Feni.

Khaleda, also leader of the opposition, set out from her Gulshan residence for the BNP central office in the capital's Naya Paltan at about 10:20am. It took her nearly half an hour to reach there.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=217576

^^ When will our politicians learn?

.....
As part of the main opposition's road march, more than 3,000 vehicles left the BNP central office for Feni at 10:45am causing a severe traffic jam from Motijheel to Chandina in Comilla.

“We are stuck here for more than two hours. We don't know when we will be able to reach the capital,” said a passenger of a Dhaka-bound bus on the highway in Daudkandi at about 1:00pm.

Traffic was so bad that even Khaleda Zia's car took more than an hour to reach Kanchpur Bridge from the party office. At one stage, police and security personnel allowed her car to travel through the wrong side of the highway from Shanir Akhra.

Her motorcade took nearly four hours to reach Chandina. She reached Paduarbazar in Comilla at 4:30pm. She spoke there at a roadside rally that blocked both sides of the road.

She finally arrived in Feni town at about 6:30 pm. Hundreds of BNP supporters gathered on the highway to welcome the BNP chairperson causing a tailback on the motorway.

Rafiqul Islam, driver of a Dhaka-bound bus, said he had remained stuck for two hours near a BNP rally venue at Chandina. He said it took about an hour to cross a hundred yards.

An official of Comilla highway police told The Daily Star that a tailback stretching over 12 to 15 kilometres developed at Chandina and Paduar Bazar in Comilla where Khaleda addressed two roadside rallies.

......

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=217576

"Eder kono din shikhkha hobe na :ohno:" The sad thing is we deserve the leaders we get. People's sufferings take a back seat to all politics. Thank God my parents returned last week from Feni.

Good news in a week or two: WB

Wed, Jan 11th, 2012 3:19 pm BdST

http://us.bdnews24.com/nimage/2012-01-11-16-09-19-padma.jpg

Dhaka, Jan 11 (bdnews24.com) — Expressing her hope that the World Bank will release its $ 1.2 billion funding for the ambitious yet controversy-ridden multi-billion dollars Padma bridge project, the global lender's Bangladesh chief Ellen Goldstein on Wednesday said that the good news may arrive "within a week or two".

"We are still discussing the issue. I hope something good will come within one or two weeks," she told reporters after a meeting with finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith at the Secretariat.

Muhith, however, told the media that he would brief them on the issue in the afternoon.

Goldstein returned to the capital on Tuesday from the Washington head office where she had travelled to discuss the funding issue with the bank's top officials.

Goldstein met Muhith in the morning to explain the Bank's latest position on funding the bridge – Bangladesh's biggest infrastructure project.

The project to build Bangladesh's longest bridge ran into troubled waters after the Bank suspended funds last October following allegations of corruption.

The global lender is the biggest co-financier of the much-coveted project -- it was supposed to lend $1.2 billion to the $2.9-billion project.

The bridge at Mawa-Jajira is the biggest ever infrastructure project in Bangladesh. It is co-financed by World Bank, ADB, Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The government has signed agreements with World Bank for $1.2 billion loan, Asian Development Bank for $615 million, JICA for $400 million and IDB for $140 million. The government would put together rest of the fund.

The World Bank, coordinator of the four lending agencies, suspended funding following allegations of corruption in river dredging, appointment of consultants and selection of pre-qualified contractors in the project.

http://us.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=4&id=215771&hb=2

RHD seeks additional fund for upgrading Dhaka-Ctg highway

FHM Humayan Kabir

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has sought Tk2.27 billion additional fund, 131 per cent up from its original Tk1.73 billion allocation in the development budget, to upgrade the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane road, officials said Thursday.

The officials of the ministry of planning said the RHD has sought a total amount of Tk 4.0 billion fund in the revised Annual Development Programme (RADP) for spending in the last half of the current fiscal (2011-12) to build the four-lane road.

"The RHD has sent the requirement. We are now reviewing their proposal. If the proposal is justified, we will allocate the additional fund," a Planning Commission official told the FE.

The government has given the highest priority to the Dhaka-Chittagong road upgradation project in the transportation sector as the highway has been failing to bear the burden of growing traffic movement.

The country's first four-lane road construction on its busiest economic corridor between Dhaka and port city Chittagong is expected to be completed by 2013.

The Chittagong port now handles more than 90 per cent of the country's foreign trade, most of which is transported into the country and outside through the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

Some 90 per cent of the country's manufacturing companies are also situated in the Dhaka-Chittagong economic corridor, making the road the busiest in the country.

The RHD has already appointed three local and foreign firms for constructing the four-lane road and two foreign firms for building bridges and overpasses on the under-construction highway.

Since late 2010, Chinese firm Sinohydro, local Reza Construction Ltd., and a consortium of Taher Brothers and Al-Amin Construction Ltd have been working to widen the Bangladesh's busiest road to four-lane from existing two-lane.

The RHD has selected a Malaysia-Bangladesh joint-venture (JV) firm Shikoh-PBL and an Indian company Gannon Dunkerly to construct the bridges and overpasses on the country's busiest highway.

The companies would get two years' time to complete the project works.

The four-lane project from Daudkandi to Chittagong was undertaken in fiscal 2004-2005 at an estimated cost of nearly Tk22 billion, when the country first clocked six per cent economic growth rate largely because of its booming garment exports and remittance earnings.

The RHD has already upgraded 28-kilometre Dhaka-Daudkandi portion of the highway to four-lane.

A Planning Commission official said the additional fund allocation, upon its approval, will be included in the RADP which is under process of formulation and will be finalised by next month.

The government has a target to complete the much-awaited four-lane highway by 2013 in view of rapidly-growing transport movement on it, keeping the pace with the momentum of economic activities in the country.

Source: Financial Express

Plan to build 3 new bridges

Worn out Kanchpur, Meghna, Meghna-Gumti bridges disrupt smooth traffic between Dhaka and Ctg

Saturday, January 14, 2012

http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/2012/01/14/2012-01-14__front02.jpg
Poor condition of the Meghna-Gumti Bridge results in slowing down of vehicles on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. This often grinds the flow to a halt, inset, and sometimes the tailbacks stretch for miles. Photo: Rashed Shumon

Poor condition of Kanchpur, Meghna and Meghna-Gumti bridges has compelled the government to speed up efforts to build three bridges alongside the old ones to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

It will require an estimated Tk 2,500 crore to construct the three bridges with four lanes. The one alongside the Kanchpur bridge will cost about Tk 900 crore, while the new Meghna bridge nearly Tk 830 crore and the new Meghna-Gumti bridge about Tk 700 crore.

The bridges will be constructed under three projects that will include renovation of the three old bridges, said communications ministry officials.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has showed interest in financing the projects, they said.

China has also proposed financing a new two-lane Meghna bridge. But the government is not considering the proposal because a four-lane bridge is required to handle the huge traffic on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

“A Jica team arrived in Dhaka on December 26 last year and has been conducting a study on Kanchpur and Meghna-Gumti bridges,” said Shahanuddin Khan, superintending engineer of Roads and Highways Department (Dhaka Circle).

He said the communications ministry has requested Jica to finance also the new Meghna bridge.

“They have responded positively,” said the RHD official.

It has become essential to build three new bridges, as trouble with any of the existing bridges will severely hinder transport of goods through the country's busiest highway, said communications ministry officials.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader recently visited the three bridges and said that they are risky. He directed RHD officials to repair the bridges immediately to ensure uninterrupted vehicular movement on the highway.

But it will be a huge challenge to handle the high volume of traffic on the two-lane Meghna and the Meghna-Gumti bridges during repair.

One lane of the bridge will be off limits during repair that will result in huge traffic congestion on both sides of the busy highway. The average daily traffic on Dhaka-Chittagong highway is about 30,000, said RHD officials.

REPAIR OF MEGHNA BRIDGE

The government has taken a Tk 150 crore project to repair Meghna bridge, the condition of which is the worst among the three old bridges.

Experts found that scour holes -- hollows in the riverbed caused by undercurrents -- have rendered its several piers vulnerable. Besides, high volume of traffic and overloaded trucks continue to damage its deck. The bridge's expansion joints and hinge bearings have also been damaged.

The RHD repaired its expansion joints in 2008. But it did not last long for plying of heavy vehicles.

“We floated a tender last year to find a suitable international firm for the bridge's repair. We hope the selection process will complete in two months,” said Shahabuddin Khan, who is supervising repair of Meghna bridge.

He said the government is doing everything to get the bridge repaired as quickly as possible because any delay in its renovation might shorten the bridge's 100-year lifespan.

Concrete blocks will be placed around all its piers as part of the repair work, he added.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=218310

Repairs to risky Meghna Bridge may begin in March

DHAKA, JAN 17: The much anticipated repair work to the hazardous 100-year-old Meghna Bridge is likely to start in March. Senior officials at the Communications Ministry told The Independent that the contractual bidding process has been initiated by the Department of Roads and Highways.

The government has allocated Tk 150 crore to repair the bridge.

Shahabuddin Khan, Superintendent Engineer (Dhaka Circle) from the department of Roads and Highways told The independent that the bidding process should be completed within two months, after which the repair work can immediately begin.
Bidding applications can be submitted up until noon on 30 January and the contract is open to both local and international companies.
The Department of Roads and Highways are seeking highly experienced bidders that offer the best value for money, said Khan, who will supervise the repairs.
Engineers from the department believe the bridge’s unfortunate condition is the result of it being unable to cope with overloaded vehicles.

An engineer said, “When the bridge was designed, experts believed that vessels carrying a maximum load of 500 tonnes could safely pass under the bridge. However vessels carrying up to 2,500 tonnes frequently pass under it. As a result, hollows in the riverbed caused by undercurrents have rendered several piers vulnerable.”

He added that high volumes of traffic and overloaded trucks continue to damage the deck and the bridge’s expansion joints and hinge bearings.
RHD repaired the expansion joints in 2008, but due to heavy volumes of trucks, new repairs were soon required, according to official sources.
Some officials are concerned that a bidder with suitable experience may not be found among the applications, which would obviously delay the repairs.
Chief Engineer of the department of Roads and Highways Aminur Rahman Laskar said, “Repairing the bridge is our top priority.”
Shahabuddin Khan said structural problems were detected soon after the Meghna Bridge was first built.

Concrete blocks will be placed around each of its piers as part of the repair work, he added.

http://www.theindependentbd.com/paper-edition/frontpage/129-frontpage/90347-repairs-to-risky-meghna-bridge-may-begin-in-march.html

Repairs to risky Meghna Bridge may begin in March

DHAKA, JAN 17: The much anticipated repair work to the hazardous 100-year-old Meghna Bridge is likely to start in March. Senior officials at the Communications Ministry told The Independent that the contractual bidding process has been initiated by the Department of Roads and Highways.

The government has allocated Tk 150 crore to repair the bridge.

Shahabuddin Khan, Superintendent Engineer (Dhaka Circle) from the department of Roads and Highways told The independent that the bidding process should be completed within two months, after which the repair work can immediately begin.
Bidding applications can be submitted up until noon on 30 January and the contract is open to both local and international companies.
The Department of Roads and Highways are seeking highly experienced bidders that offer the best value for money, said Khan, who will supervise the repairs.
Engineers from the department believe the bridge’s unfortunate condition is the result of it being unable to cope with overloaded vehicles.

An engineer said, “When the bridge was designed, experts believed that vessels carrying a maximum load of 500 tonnes could safely pass under the bridge. However vessels carrying up to 2,500 tonnes frequently pass under it. As a result, hollows in the riverbed caused by undercurrents have rendered several piers vulnerable.”

He added that high volumes of traffic and overloaded trucks continue to damage the deck and the bridge’s expansion joints and hinge bearings.
RHD repaired the expansion joints in 2008, but due to heavy volumes of trucks, new repairs were soon required, according to official sources.
Some officials are concerned that a bidder with suitable experience may not be found among the applications, which would obviously delay the repairs.
Chief Engineer of the department of Roads and Highways Aminur Rahman Laskar said, “Repairing the bridge is our top priority.”
Shahabuddin Khan said structural problems were detected soon after the Meghna Bridge was first built.

Concrete blocks will be placed around each of its piers as part of the repair work, he added.

http://www.theindependentbd.com/paper-edition/frontpage/129-frontpage/90347-repairs-to-risky-meghna-bridge-may-begin-in-march.html

Is the bridge really 100 years old?

Govt sets up overload control station on Dhaka-Aricha Highway

MANIKGANJ: Communications Minister Obaidul Quader Friday inaugurated an overload control station or weight scale at Bathuli area on Dhaka-Aricha Highway to save the road from early damages and avoid accidents.

Punitive actions would be taken against the overloaded vehicles plying on the highway from February 6, the minister warned.

Quader termed Dhaka-Aricha Highway as a death trap while visiting the highway.

The risky 22 points on the highway would be made into four lanes and divider will be built within next three months, he informed.

During his visit, the minister was accompanied, among others, by local lawmakers Benzir Ahmed and Zahid Maleque Swapan, Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Aminul Islam Laskar, Additional Chief Engineer Mofizul Islam, Chairman of Safe Road Movement film actor Ilyas Kanchan, and Administrator of Manikganj Zila Parishad Golam Mohiuddin.

BDST: 2145 HRS, JAN 20, 2012

http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=0b5130310a93e632cdfcf01eefd6b01e&nttl=2012012031210&toppos=2

Malaysia offers money for Padma bridge

Dhaka, Jan 30 (bdnews24.com)—Communications minister Obaidul Quader said on Monday Malaysia has offered to invest in the construction of the Padma bridge.

"The Malaysian government has expressed its keen interest in the construction of the bridge. We have received their offer….but there're some formalities. We will sincerely consider the issue," he said on Monday.

The minister spoke to reporters after a seven-strong delegation led by Malaysian government's special envoy Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu met him at the Setu Bhaban.

Quader said the government would get back to the Malaysian authorities through the foreign ministry.

The World Bank in last October suspended a $1.2 billion loan to the government for the $ 2.9 billion mega project alleging corruption.

The Anticorruption Commission is currently investigating the charges that the government has frequently refuted.

Quader said that agreement would be signed with either Malaysia or any other country if the existing 'deadlock' with the World Bank does not come to an end.

"I can firmly say that the construction of the bridge will start within a year.'

Quader said that Malaysia wanted to construct the bridge at the state-level. "We have had discussion with them on it. But there were no talks about the conditions on providing the loans."

The World Bank as well as the other donor agencies has recently extended the deadline for loan activation for the Padma Bridge project by six months, reviving the hope that the lending agency might eventually unblock the fund.

On this issue, Quader said, "Why will we have issues with them if they can fulfil the conditions to construct the Padma bridge by the remaining time and really assure us of its construction?"

After taking power for a second term in 2009, the government has been putting the highest priority to the construction of the 6.15 km long bridge across the Padma River which would link the country's north with its more-isolated south.

Apart from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged $610 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) $400 million and Islamic Development Bank $140 million as loan for the $2.9 billion-project to build the bridge.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Jan 26 hinted that her government would not take money from the World Bank to implement the Padma bridge project if it fails to prove charges of corruption it raised in the country's biggest infrastructure project.

http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=4&id=217207

BD govt. will not take loan from the World Bank! Malaysia is going to build Padma Bridge. Its final!

This news is from Malaysian national news agency.

---------------

Malaysian Consortium To Build RM6.6 Billion Padma Bridge, Says Samy Vellu

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian consortium will be set up to undertake the RM6.6 billion Padma multi-purpose bridge project in Bangladesh after both nations sign a government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MOU) by the end of this month.

Special Envoy (Infrastructure) to India and South Asia, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu, said the consortium, comprising experienced Malaysian construction companies, will be set up after the Bangladesh government accepted Malaysia's technical and financial proposals on the project last week.

The Padma Bridge is a 6.15 kilometres multi-purpose road-rail bridge across the Padma River.

It will connect Louhajong, Munshiganj to Shariatpur and Madaripur, linking the south-west of the country to northern and eastern regions.

When completed, it will be the country's biggest infrastructure project to date and will be declared the largest bridge in Bangladesh as well as the first fixed river crossing for road traffic.

"Bangladesh has seen our success in building bridges such as the first and second Penang Bridge. (Bangladesh) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested us to look at the proposed bridge.

"We did a due diligence for the past one month and finally, with the consent of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, we told the Bangladesh government we are ready to build the bridge," Samy Vellu told Bernama in an interview.

He said several big names in the Malaysian construction industry and government-linked companies had been earmarked to join the consortium, which would be monitored by the Prime Minister's Department, through the special envoy's office.

"The contractor has brought in a financer from Dubai. Serious negotiations are currently going on between them.

"The Malaysian and Bangladeshi governments have no say in identifying and deciding on the financer.

"This bridge will be a very important project for Malaysia as it will prove to the world that this country (Malaysia) has the ability to do anything on earth, especially in the infrastructure segment," Samy Vellu said.

On when the project would start, he said, the details on the timeframe could only be decided once the G2G agreement was sealed, slated to be on Feb 21, 2012.

He said the Malaysian consortium has to get some approvals after the signing of the MOU regarding the financial capabilities of the contractor.

After that, Samy Vellu said, Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka would sign a memorandum of agreement.

The Padma bridge project came under the spotlight after the World Bank suspended a US$1.2 billion loan to finance it, alleging corruption.

Besides World Bank, Asian Development Bank has pledged US$610 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency sanctioned US$400 million and the Islamic Development Bank pledged US$140 million as loan for the project.

Samy Vellu said Sheikh Hasina had last month indicated that her government would not take money from the World Bank to implement the bridge project if the bank failed to prove charges of corruption it has raised.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=643975

ADB-govt talks on $28m transport projects

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to help Bangladesh rollout planned transport projects to accelerate growth and stimulate economic activity across South Asia and beyond. The ADB Board of Directors already approved a technical assistance of $23 million for the Subregional Transport Project Preparatory Facility, which will be used to hasten the passage of road and rail projects earmarked as priorities for the development of regional transport projects.

The government of Bangladesh will provide an additional $4.59 million for a total project cost of almost $28 million. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and Bangladesh Railway (BR) will be the executing agencies for the project, which is due for completion in June 2013.

Newly appointed country director of ADB’s Bangladesh Resident Mission Teresa Kho will meet Railways minister Suranjit Sengupta at the latter’s Secretariat office on Thursday to discuss the issue, according to the ministry.

Principal Transport Specialist of Transport and Communications Division, ADB Headquarters Hiroaki Yamaguchi, senior country specialist, BRM, M Zahid Hossain and transport specialist, BRM, Satoko Tanaka will also attend the meeting.

An ADB official told BSS on Wednesday that various issues regarding development of the country’s transport sector especially railway would be discussed during the meeting.

Implementation of the project involving the ADB loans would get paramount importance during the meeting, the official added.

“Projects prepared under this facility will support economic growth and reduce poverty in Bangladesh, as well as strengthen cross-border links to stimulate more intraregional trade and investment,” said Hiroaki Yamaguchi, Principal Transport Specialist in ADB’s South Asia Department.

South Asia is one of the fastest growing regions in the world but internal trade remains well below the levels seen in other parts of Asia, with inadequate transport infrastructure a major stumbling block.

Bangladesh, which borders India and Myanmar, and is geographically close to Bhutan, Nepal and Kunming in China, has the potential to become a major transport and trans-shipment hub.

In the past, transport projects in Bangladesh have faced start-up delays because of a long lag time between loan approval and the final project design.

The facility will address this and other obstacles to speedy implementation by supporting feasibility studies, design preparation, procurement, social and environmental safeguards, and capacity building for oversight agencies.

http://www.theindependentbd.com/business/banking/98706-adb-govt-talks-on-28m-transport-projects.html

Neat!!!

Four-lane Dhaka-Ctg highway to be completed by next year: Quader
→ Staff Correspondent


CHITTAGONG: Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said construction work of the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway project will be completed by December next year.

The project will be implemented in three phases. Completion of 42 kilometres (Km) under the first phase of the four-lane highway project would be visible within December this year while 80 kilometres under the second phase would be completed within March next year, he added.

The minister disclosed this at a press briefing at Chittagong Circuit House in the port city on Thursday after visiting the project in the Sitakunda area.

Filling the potholes to make the roads usable for vehicles temporarily has been done without any additional budget, the minister said.

“Now we have targeted completion of having damaged roads and bridges carpeted after their repair before the rainy season sets in,” he said.

The minister further added that China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) would complete the feasibility study of the Karnaphuli Tunnel at a cost of Tk 90 million within June this year.

“We expect to start the construction work of the tunnel at a cost Tk 60 billion within the present tenure of Awami League government,” said Quader.

Highlighting the importance of such tunnel, the minister said the city will see immense volume of traffic when deep sea port comes into operation, he said.

The minister mentioned that renovation to the Bangabandhu Bridge where a good number of cracks developed would be completed within September this year by the Chinese company.

“For repairing the vulnerable Meghna Bridge, we got an allocation of Tk 500 million more. We have also introduced ferry services to facilitate uninterrupted connectivity between Dhaka and Chittagong,” he said.

The minister further informed the journalists that a group of consultants from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology will submit a report suggesting measures to protect the bridges over the Meghna and the Gomti rivers on Dhaka-Chittagong highway within short time. The bridges would be renovated later, following the recommendations of the report, he said.

Obaidul Quader said, “Preparatory works have already been completed and construction of the Padma Bridge is expected to begin within a year.”

“We have 34 projects with the World Bank (WB). So there is no reason to think that suspension of fund release for one of the projects would cause our relationship with the WB to deteriorate,” he hoped.

“However, as no sufficient time is left in hand, we have now decided to construct the bridge through ‘government to government’ system if the WB fails the deadline,” he said, adding that they would start the process for constructing the Second Padma Bridge within this tenure.

“To complete maintenance and repairs of damaged roads across the country before the rainy season, all the foreign tours of communication secretary and chief engineers as well as those of mine have been cancelled,” he said.

The holidays of R&H officials have been cancelled and R&H offices across the country would remain open in the holidays, said the minister.

Source: The Daily Sun

Thats good news....lets see if this new communications minister is better than the last one or not!

42Km Dhaka-Ctg highway to be made four-lane by Dec: Quader

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said the up-gradation work of 42 Km highway on Dhaka- Chittagong to turn the highway into four-lane will be completed by December this year.

Besides, another 80Km highway will be finished by March next and the entire works will be done by December, 2013, he said while addressing a discussion meeting as chief guest at the National Press Club. Journalist Society for Human Rights and Welfare organized the meeting.

The works to widen 19 risky and vulnerable spots of Dhaka- Aricha highway with MS pipe and dividers have been started, Obaidul Quader said .
The minister said the construction of over-bridges at the risky and vulnerable spots on Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka- Sylhet highways will start soon. Citing his ministry's initiative to control accident on the highway, Quader said the highway police have been given 24 speed- guns to prevent fast driving and 27 alcohol detector machine to restrain the drivers from taking alcohol.

He said efficiency of the BRTA is being increased to produce skilled drivers.
The ministry has taken initiative to upgrade the legal framework through revising the 70-year-old motor vehicle act, he added.

http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/back%20page.htm

$48m KFAED loan for construction of Lebukhali Bridge

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) will provide Kuwaiti dinar 14 million or approximately US$ 48 million (Tk 360.57 crore) to Bangladesh for the construction of Lebukhali Bridge on Barisal-Patuakhali road.

A loan agreement to this effect was signed between Kuwait Fund and the Bangladesh government at Economic Relations Division office in the city on Tuesday.

Kazi Shafiqul Azam, additional secretary of Economic Relations Division of Finance Ministry and Hesham Al-Waqyan, Deputy Director-General of Kuwait Fund for Economic Development signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

Kuwait Ambassador to Bangladesh Ali Ahmad Ebraheem Al-Dafiri was present at the signing ceremony.

Kazi Shafiqul Azam said the project aims to enhance the economic and social development of southern region of Bangladesh. The Fund's loan will cover about 72 per cent of the total cost of the project.

"It will further strengthen the ties between two friendly countries," he added.

Roads and Highways Department under the Ministry of Communications will implement the project.

The estimated cost of the project is US$ 60.87 million (Tk 457.30 crore) of which $ 48 million will come as project aid while the rest of the amount from the government exchequer. The proposed four-lane bridge will be of 1470 metres in length.

The construction of the proposed bridge would establish a direct road link between the capital city Dhaka and the southern region of the country and that will ease movement for tourists to one of the most important tourist spot-Kuakata in Patuakhali.

After construction of the project, it will mitigate the sufferings of the people and contribute to the growth of the economy of the region by creating easy movement and transportation facilities.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=123429&date=2012-03-14

Govt to sign deal on BRT in May

The work on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in the city will begin on March 13, 2013 as the government is going to sign a deal with the Asian Development Bank in May this year after its approval by Ecnec next month, reports UNB.
Officials at the Ministry of Communications said this after a seven-member ADB delegation, led by its visiting vice president Xiaoyu Zhao, met Communications Minister Obaidul Quader at his Secretariat office on Thursday morning.
They said work on the important project, aimed at easing the city's vexing traffic jam, will be completed by 2016 at a cost of US$255 million.
Of the amount, the ADB will provide US$160 million and France US$ 45 million while the rest will come from the national exchequer.
They said there will be seven flyovers across the 20-km BRT route from Airport to Gazipur as 50 articulated-buses will be plying over it. The route will also be made a four-lane one from the existing two-lane one, they added.
Once in operation, BRT will transport smoothly around 20,000 to 25,000 people per hour.
On February 7 this year, the cabinet a proposal for constituting a special project organisation (SPO) to operate the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka to Gazipur.
Meanwhile, the road from Joydebpur to Chandra and Tangail to Hatikamrul will be made four-lane one at an estimated cost of Tk 1846 crore. Of the total cost, the ADB will provide Tk 1427 crore.

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/68562237.jpg
Hatirjheel Bridge under construction

Malaysia okays Padma bridge proposal

Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka Jamaluddin Bin Sabeh on Sunday officially informed that the Malaysian cabinet has approved the Padma Bridge investment proposal.

The envoy made this official communication when he paid a farewell call on Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at her office.

“I hope the agreement will be signed immediately after approval of the Bangladesh cabinet,” Sabeh told reporters emerging from the meeting with the foreign minister.

He, however, declined to make any comment about the World Bank, which has suspended financing for the project over corruption allegation. Other financiers of the US$ 2.9 billion project, including ADB, JICA and IDB have also suspended releasing the fund.

A press release of the foreign ministry said, “The high commissioner informed the foreign minister that the Malaysian cabinet has already approved the proposed MoU regarding Padma multipurpose bridge project.”

The government signed agreements with WB for $1.2 billion loan, Asian Development Bank (ADB) for $615 million, JICA for $400 million and IDB for $140 million to construct the 6.15 kilometer bridge. But the bridge project stalled in October last year following WB’s allegation of corruption in bidding process.

During the meeting, the envoy congratulated the foreign minister for the recent maritime verdict. He also expressed his cordial gratitude to Bangladesh government for all sorts of support accorded to him during his tour of duty in Dhaka.

The foreign minister thanked Malaysian government for its support in providing with Machine Readable Passport (MRP) machines, carrying out dredging work by Malaysian Maritime and Dredging Corporation (MMDC) in Chittagong port and showing interest in Padma multipurpose bridge.

The outgoing high commissioner also informed the foreign minister that Malaysia is going to arrange a showcase programme in Dhaka to commemorate the 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

News Source:
Daily Star

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/images/news_image_2012-03-31_12772.jpg

The photo, taken from Jatrabari in the city Friday, shows the work on expansion of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway into a four-lane one going on. — FE Photo

Dhaka signs Padma Bridge deal with KL on April 10

An agreement on construction of Padma Bridge will be signed in Kuala Lumpur on April 10.

This was disclosed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the working committee meeting of the party held at Gonobhaban Friday night, meeting sources said.Communications minister Obaidul Quader will sign the agreement on behalf of the Bangladesh government.

In the meeting, Sheikh Hasina said, Bangladesh was never against the World Bank in any matter. Rather the World Bank was raising allegation of corruption in the project.
But such charges have not yet been substantiated, she pointed out.

Earlier, the World Bank suspended its promised US$ 1.2 billion funding for the Padma bridge project, following charges of corruption.

The 6.15-km bridge, with total 3.68-km land-based approach viaducts on both sides of the river will connect 19 south-western districts and the capital, enhancing their access to markets, improving services and accelerating growth.

News Source:
The Independent

Dhaka signs Padma Bridge deal with KL on April 10

An agreement on construction of Padma Bridge will be signed in Kuala Lumpur on April 10.

This was disclosed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the working committee meeting of the party held at Gonobhaban Friday night, meeting sources said.Communications minister Obaidul Quader will sign the agreement on behalf of the Bangladesh government.

In the meeting, Sheikh Hasina said, Bangladesh was never against the World Bank in any matter. Rather the World Bank was raising allegation of corruption in the project.
But such charges have not yet been substantiated, she pointed out.

Earlier, the World Bank suspended its promised US$ 1.2 billion funding for the Padma bridge project, following charges of corruption.

The 6.15-km bridge, with total 3.68-km land-based approach viaducts on both sides of the river will connect 19 south-western districts and the capital, enhancing their access to markets, improving services and accelerating growth.

News Source:
The Independent

Does the PM plan to pay for the bridge from her own personal funds? Isn't the ego of the PM (and AL) getting the better of her (them)? The tax payers and the entire population shall be paying for a very expensive bridge for decades to come. :ohno:

^^
True, for the AL, Bangladesh comes second and there selfishness comes first.

Bangladesh, Malaysia sign MoU on Padma Bridge construction
Two PMs exchange greetings, call event 'historic'

Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur to build a 6.15 km multi-purpose bridge across the river Padma, officials said in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The MoU will also help put in place other related infrastructure projects, they said.

"The MoU was signed by Bangladesh Communications Minister Obaidul Quader and Malaysia's special envoy to South Asia on infrastructure at the Malaysian Prime Minister's Department -- Dato Seri Samy Vellu," a senior official of the Communications Ministry said.

Obaidul Quader left Dhaka for Kuala Lumpur late on Sunday and the MoU was signed on Tuesday as scheduled earlier.

Before boarding a Kuala Lumpur-bound flight on Sunday night Mr Quader said the construction of the bridge was expected to begin in the next 10 months.

He expressed the hope that the next government would complete the construction that could take some four to five years.

During the talks with his designated counterpart, ahead of the signing of the MoU Obiadul Quader was assisted by accompanying officials Iqbal Mahmud, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, Khandaker Anwarul Islam, Secretary of the Bridges Division and Shafikul Islam, Project Director of Padma Bridge.

"According to the MoU, Malaysia will mobilise the estimated cost of some $2.9 billion for building the bridge either from government fund or from private investors, to build the bridge on Build, Own, Operate and Transfer basis (BOOT)," a statement issued by the Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur said.

Bernama, Malaysian state news agency, said under the MoU, the Malaysian government will form a consortium of Malaysian companies to implement the project on BOOT basis.

The event at Kuala Lumpur was attended by Bangladesh Prime Minister's Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

After the ceremony both the Prime Ministers exchanged greetings over telephone and termed the occasion a historic one.

According to the MoU, the funding for building the bridge will be decided in the next nine months until when the MoU will remain valid.

"Initially both the governments will take necessary steps to encourage and promote financial and technical cooperation for the purpose of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project," the Bangladesh embassy statement said.

The MoU mainly aims to cooperation on the planning, development, finance, construction, management, administration and maintenance of infrastructure works on the basis of equity and mutual benefit on agreed terms and condition, the statement said.

It will encourage cooperation, knowledge and technology transfer and partnership between the two countries, it continued.

Both sides will now decide on the terms of reference of building the bridge, which was earlier estimated to cost some $2.9 billion, it has been stated.

"However the building cost is likely to be re-estimated as the cost of building materials and other relevant expenditures have increased in the meantime," an official at the Communications Ministry said.

Facts and data concerning such as how many years would be needed to build the bridge, what would be the rate of tolls and how and at what proportions the tolls would be shared by the relevant authorities of the two countries would be determined after the MoU, the official said.

Bangladesh accepted Malaysian offer of funding the bridge last October after the World Bank (WB) suspended delivery of its committed fund of $1.2 billion over alleged irregularities in the bidding process for the bridge.

The WB, probing the alleged irregularities in the bidding process for the bridge, has temporarily barred a unit of SNC-Lavalin, a big Canadian engineering company, from bidding in the Bank's new projects.

Besides the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had confirmed $615 million, Japan $420 million and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) $140 million for the bridge across the river Padma.

News Source:
Financial Express

Work on Padma Bridge to start next fiscal: Muhith
7.2 % growth projection not too ambitious, he says.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Thursday said the government plans to start construction work on the Padma Bridge project, the largest ever infrastructure project in the country, in the next fiscal year.

“We firmly believe, we’ll be able to start the construction work in the next fiscal year,” he told at a pre-budget discussion at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.

The Finance Minister also said he does not think there is any reason to worry about the financing of the Padma Bridge.

On GDP (gross domestic product) growth projection for the next fiscal, he said the 7.2 percent GDP growth projection should not be considered as “too much ambitious.”

On black money, Muhith said: “We didn’t show too much dependence on the black money in the previous fiscals. Since, we’ve big reforms plan regarding the stock market in the next fiscal, we don’t want to touch it.”

He indicated that investments of black money in the capital market would continue through the next fiscal year, considering the sensitive nature of the stock market. Currently, black money is allowed to be invested in stocks by paying tax at 10 percent.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) jointly arranged the function titled ‘The 33rd Consultative Meeting of National Board of Revenue’ with AK Azad in the chair. The even was telecast live by private television channel NTV.

NBR chairman Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed, FBCCI first vice president M Jashim Uddin and vice president Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, former FBCCI president Akram Hossain, BGMEA president M Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, DCCI president Asif Ibrahim, Standard Bank chairman Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, BARVIDA president Abdul Mannan Chowdhury, actor Elias Kanchan, and leaders of different district chambers, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Unveiling the government’s plan for the upcoming budget, Muhith said the neglected communications sector especially railways would get special allocation in the next budget to ensure smooth communication system in the country. “Railways sector remained neglected for long… we’ll look into it.”

He said the next budget will have specific directions for the next five years on the use of energy resources and electricity generation. He admitted that all the quick rental power plants could not come into generation timely.

The Finance Minister also said that the government will keep significant allocation for four areas –- skill development, maize production, poultry industry and beet sugar.

He assured the entrepreneurs that the government would consider a stimulus package for setting up Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) in industrial areas.

About pre-shipment inspection (PSI), Muhith said: “We want to say bye to the system. Hope it will go soon.”

He said the key objective of the next budget will be to maintain the growth trend and the government will try to make a balance between demand and supply. “To maintain the balance, some may be benefited and some may be affected.”

The Finance Minister also assured the business leaders of accommodating their proposals in the next budget. “If not possible, we can bring changes after the budget placement.”

FBCCI president AK Azad sought a provision for imposing penalty with regular tax on whitening undisclosed income.

He also said the businesses do not favour the government decision allowing the investors to invest black money in stocks by merely paying tax at 10 percent.

“We’re urging the government to withdraw the proposal as it’ll surely discourage honest taxpayers and hurt them… it won’t be a good example for future either.”

The FBCCI chief said those who have undisclosed money can be brought under the income tax net through imposing appropriate penalty.

He also urged the Finance Minister to take initiatives and sit with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to find out a way to resolve the ongoing political conflict in the country.

“You’re a senior minister of the government… I request you to take steps to find out a solution,” he said, adding that confrontational political programmes hit the economy hard.

Azad alleged that some ‘top dogs’ shattered the country’s capital market and sought a legal provision in the next budget to bring back into the market the money they had taken out as hefty profit.

The FBCCI president also sought permission for investing abroad and urged the Finance Minister to give specific directives for that.

He said: “No Bangladeshi investor is now allowed to invest abroad…but there’s ample scope to invest in many countries, including neighboring Myanmar. We want an announcement in the next budget in this regard.”

Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu demanded special allocation for railways to cut pressure on roads and reduce road accidents.

Jashim Uddin said the government needs to generate additional 2000 to 3000 megawatt of electricity to achieve the projected 7.2 percent GDP growth for the next fiscal.

News Source:
Daily Star

PM's interference for speedy work on Dhaka-Ctg highway sought

Chittagong Chamber president Murshed Murad Ibrahim today urged the government to expedite development activities for four lane of Chittagong-Dhaka highway.

In a message to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said the roads and highways are pre-requisites for development. Chittagong is the economic hub of the country and most of the export and import goods are transported through the highway to different parts of the country.

Besides, Chittagong being considered as the most suitable place for investment in South and Southeast Asia has made the highway more important as the neighbouring countries would use it for transit of goods from the prime maritime port.

President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated that the government had initiated the project at a cost of Tk 23.82 billion to extend the highway to four lanes covering 192 kilometres between Daudkandi and Chittagong. But only 17 per cent work has so far been accomplished in stead of 71 per cent as was supposed initially within three years.

The work remains postponed since March, 2012 for various obstacles as a result of which the businesses are suffering in transportation of goods. Ibrahim urged the PM to issue necessary directives to the concerned authorities so that the work gets greater pace to meet the deadline.

News Source:
Financial Express

Padma Bridge to be built ‘with own resources in case of no deal'

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said Padma Bridge will be built with the country’s own resources if the final deal with Malaysia over the construction of the 6.15-km bridge is not signed this year.

Initially, the government will earmark Tk 3,000 crore in the next annual budget for fully starting the construction work on the multipurpose bridge across the Padma River.

He, however, hoped that Malaysia will send a final proposal to the government this month for a final agreement on financing the Padma Bridge project.

A proposal from Malaysia to finance the Padma Bridge project is likely to be placed before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or the Communications Minister himself by special envoy of the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia Dato S Samy Vellu who will arrive in Dhaka on an official visit on May 28, Quader said replying to a question by this correspondent.

In this regard, Quader mentioned that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh and Malaysia to construct the country’s longest bridge on the mighty river last month.

The MoU was inked by Oabidul Quader and Malaysia’s special envoy to South Asia on infrastructure at the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department Samy Vellu during his Kuala Lumpur visit on April 8-12.

But he affirmed that a final proposal will come from Malaysia to sign the Padma Bridge deal if Malaysia and Bangladesh reach an agreement over everything, including matters related to protecting Malaysia’s interest, its investment in the project and the interest of Bangladesh.

Malaysia will collect toll for a certain period after the Padma Bridge is built and opened for public.

Replying to a question as to how long it will take to construct the bridge and how long Malaysia will collect the toll once it is built and opened to traffic, Quader said the set of proposals expected to be given by Malaysia will contain a timeframe for the construction of the bridge, matters seeking to secure the financing country’s interest and specimen about toll collection by it.

Quader also did not rule out the possibility of financing by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the multi-billion dollar Padma Bridge project.

He said the ADB has indicated that it is interested to finance this project. But he said during a meeting between him and the chief of an ADB delegation in Dhaka on Sunday, the ADB team leader showed specific interests in investing in development of Bangladesh’s railway and road communications.

News Source:
UNB

20-year master plan for road development formulated

The government has formulated a 20-year master plan for the development of the country’s road communication network.

Roads Department secretary MAN Siddique handed over a copy of the first-ever master plan to Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday.

Experts of the master plan formulation committee, including Chief Engineer of Roads and Highway Department Aminur Rahman Laskar, were present on the occasion.

The Roads and Highway Department prepared the master plan in line with National Road Transport Policy under the supervision of the Communications Ministry.

The plan has been formulated with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) after consultation with local and foreign experts, stakeholders and reviewing the existing laws and policies, strategy of economic development, government’s development plan and priority and various aspects, including public interests.

The country’s booming population, transports and demand for increased number of roads in the next 20 years have been brought under consideration of the master plan.

At present, there are 21,2,72 kilometers of roads, 4,507 bridges, 13,751 culverts and 151 ferries under the Roads and Highway Department.

News Source:
UNB

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=130455&date=2012-05-23

Munima Sultana

Possibility to get a wider highway for coping with increasing traffic on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor has been lean, as the government is going to revise the cost and time of completing the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project.

Officials said it is necessary to revise upward the cost of the around Tk 24 billion project by almost 25 per cent mainly due to price hike of various construction materials than the prices anticipated in 2010.

Besides, it is also necessary to change its design to bypass different points of the road that would also increase the project cost, they added.

Project director Ibne Alam Hasan said the cost of expanding the country's most important highway project was assessed on the basis of prediction three years back, for which many costs are now needed to be revised.

The Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project cost was first revised to Tk 23.82 billion in 2010 from its initial cost of Tk 21.67 billion, as projected in 2006, fixing the implementation period until December 2013.

The latest revision proposed the cost to be increased to Tk 29.81 billion, with fixing the tenure up to 2014.

Some critics, however, alleged that the latest revision was obvious due to failure of the authorities concerned to rightly assess cost of various components of the project, following lack of insight.

Many also brought the allegation of irregularities in the highway project, usually being practiced in other road projects. They argued that when the project cost was revised in 2010, prices of different materials were adjusted according to their price escalation.

However, refuting the allegation, the project director said without any progress of the project, actual prices of many important materials could not be assessed. He also claimed that the cost of many construction materials, including earth, has increased beyond the last assessment level.

Officials of the Ministry of Communications and the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) said price adjustment has been done as per the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics guideline that allows adjustment from the base (first) budget considering multiple factors after every three years. They said the latest revision was done, as three years were already gone.

The Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project office under the RHD has already sent the revised development project proposal (DPP) to the ministry for getting approval from the Planning Commission.

In the revised DPP, the RHD has cited various causes for the revision like increasing the pavement structure thickness of the highway, as the project consultants have found that the traffic volume on the corridor has increased by nearly 37 per cent.

It also justified the increase for including concrete pavement in market areas/bus bay locations and inclusion of additional maintenance work, revision of design of Comilla Cantonment underpass, and excessive price hike of different materials including fuel, bitumen, steel, cement, stone and brick etc.

The project officials also said an underpass at Mahipal intersection, one of the busiest intersections in the highway, has been planned afresh, increasing the project cost.

Besides, the four-lane project faced political pressure from local lawmakers, leaving the authorities to plan construction of either bypass roads or over-bridges or underpasses at various points of the highway.

The project, though one of the priority projects of the present government, also faced insufficient budget allocation, they added.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=130455&date=2012-05-23

Munima Sultana

Possibility to get a wider highway for coping with increasing traffic on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor has been lean, as the government is going to revise the cost and time of completing the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project.

..............

So what does it mean? The much touted (harped about) four-lane highway is not going to be a four-lane highway?

^^What irks me the most regarding the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway project is that it's a freaking roadway and not a subway, metro or elevated expressway that might be beyond our expertise. Can't believe we as a country don't have the means, technology and wherewithal to implement a 170 miles 4-lane road in over 4 decades. Bangladesh probably should have laws regarding eminent domain so that progress can't be stopped by vested interests when it comes to land acquisition.

When AL came to power, we all hoped that they would make a name for themselves by implementing some much needed projects, like this highway, improving power situation and reducing Dhaka's horrendous traffic situation. It is still naught for three in this regard.

So what does it mean? The much touted (harped about) four-lane highway is not going to be a four-lane highway?
I think this is one of those project that govt "honestly" wants to implement, but lack of professionalism has ruined the time-frame of implementation. The result: DELAY!

First, the problem was lack of available sand that they need in such an enormous amount to build the new roads. Then the people didn't quite want to give away their lands. Now the local politics have been involved which is causing further disruption by bringing physical changes in the design. So far i know only 17% of the construction has actually been materialized whereas the target was 50% by now. No wonder they are changing the deadline from dec 2013 to.......ummmmm....."indefinite period"(?????)

^^What irks me the most regarding the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway project is that it's a freaking roadway and not a subway, metro or elevated expressway that might be beyond our expertise. Can't believe we as a country don't have the means, technology and wherewithal to implement a 170 miles 4-lane road in over 4 decades. Bangladesh probably should have laws regarding eminent domain so that progress can't be stopped by vested interests when it comes to land acquisition.

When AL came to power, we all hoped that they would make a name for themselves by implementing some much needed projects, like this highway, improving power situation and reducing Dhaka's horrendous traffic situation. It is still naught for three in this regard.

I believe eminent domain law exists in Bangladesh, although it probably has a different name. If I'm not mistaken it is a carry over from the (British) colonial days. The problem here, it appears that the project is being resisted by members of the ruling party, and we all know very well that laws are ineffective and never enforced against ruling party members, in Bangladesh.