Star Report

The World Bank has agreed to finance rural communication development so that people can effectively avail the benefits of the Padma Bridge, although it had earlier withdrawn its loan for the bridge construction over allegations of graft.

The government and the WB jointly initiated a multi-phased $1.4 billion 10-year programme to upgrade road communications and other infrastructures in the country’s western and southwestern regions.

“The Padma Bridge is going to open a new horizon of economic potential for Bangladesh. In this context, a programme has been adopted by the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank for the period of 2020-2030 to upgrade rural communication to facilitate and ensure overall socio-economic development,” said a press release of the government’s Economic Relations Division (ERD).

“Under the programme, a 260-kilometer national highway from Hatikumrul, Sirajganj to Bhomra land port will be upgraded from two lanes to four lanes with a service lane by the RHD [the Road and Highways Department),” said the press release yesterday.

Besides, the upgrading of logistics infrastructure of selected markets, growth centres, connected road networks for agriculture value chains and associated amenities will be done by the Government Engineering Department,” the press release added.

As part of implementation of the programme, the government yesterday signed a $500 million financing agreement to implement a project titled “Western Economic Corridor and Regional Enhancement Program (WeCARE) Phase-I: Rural Connectivity, Market and Logistic Infrastructure Improvement Project (RCMLIIP).”

The project, the first of a multi-phased $1.4 billion 10-year programme, aims to upgrade the existing 110km two-lane Bhomra-Satkhira-Navaron and Jashore-Jhenaidah roads, said a press release of the World Bank.

In the current phase, the project will help upgrade the 48km two-lane Jashore-Jhenaidah road to a modern four-lane highway, it said.

Besides, the project will also help revitalise about 600km connecting rural roads, develop existing rural markets or build new ones. It will also set up fiber-optic cables along the highway to ensure fast and reliable internet service, the WB press release added.