REJAUL KARIM BYRON

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has proposed a 20-year development plan involving about $79 billion to build a major economic corridor from Teknaf to Tentulia with the view to decongesting Dhaka and Chattogram, in line with the BNP’s election manifesto.

The plan, titled North-West Dhaka South-East Economic Corridor, envisages investments of $20 billion in the first three years, $45 billion over the following seven years and the remainder over the final decade, The Daily Star has learnt from officials with direct knowledge of the matter.

The proposed corridor would connect Matarbari, Chattogram, Mirsharai, Dhaka North and South, Gazipur, Bogura, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Tentulia. Development activities would span a 100-kilometre belt -- 50 kilometres on each side of the route -- covering 44 surrounding districts.

Special focus would be given to building suitable health, education, power and energy infrastructure so that people would be compelled to shift from Dhaka and Chattogram.

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