The government plans to build a second highway or railway between Dhaka and Chittagong to speed up movement of passenger and cargo traffic between the two cities.

The proposed second route could also facilitate transportation as a transit to and from neighbouring countries and become part of the proposed Asian Highway that now intends to connect Dhaka to Bankgok.

Talking to The Daily Star, Minister for Communications Nazmul Huda said the government plans to build a new "high speed communication link between Dhaka and Chittagong. This could either be a second highway which would be an expressway or a railway for high speed train service."

He said the government is working on the details and

will conduct a feasibility study for the railway or the expressway.

Asked about financing of such a major project, the minister said it could be on the basis of BOT or BOO ( Build Operate Transfer or Build Operate Own.)

International tender will be floated after a policy decision is taken in this regard, he said.

Sources mentioned that land for the second highway-- to be a two- lane toll paying expressway-- is already available beside the existing Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Between 100 and 140 feet of land exists on one or both sides of the present road.

If taken up on a BOT basis, experts said, the private investor or consortium of investors building the expressway would operate the new road for a period of 15 to 20 years and collect toll fixed mutually by the parties con

cerned and the communications ministry. And if taken up on a BOO basis, both the construction and operation of the expressway could be done by the investors.

A second highway was conceived over two decades ago. A US firm, Amman & Whitney, had carried out a study on the feasibility of a second highway. Although the study found it feasible, the process was learnt to have been shelved in 1985.

The communications minister said his ministry is also planning a high speed train service between the capital and the port city. This too, if decided at the highest level, would be implemented through international tender either on a BOT or BOO basis. He said there are two methods available for the proposed train service. It could either use silver bullet system or magnetic navigation. The 'cargo component capacity' of the magnetic navigation system is more and if it could be introduced, the load of trucks and heavy vehicles on the highway would decrease.

In either case, communication experts feel that because of increasing focus on Chittagong port and its capacity and potential to develop as a regional hub, taking up schemes for establishing quick and durable links with Dhaka and neighbouring areas deserves the highest priority and attention of the government.