PM opens 100 highways in 50 districts

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday opened a record number of 100 highways to traffic in 50 districts.

The premier virtually inaugurated the 100 highways from her office in Dhaka — to ensure a safe and uninterrupted road network as well as help reduce road accidents and traveling time.

The Roads and Highways Department under the Road Transport and Highways Division constructed or reconstructed the highways with a combined length of 2,021.56 km under 48 projects at an overall cost of Tk 14,915 crore in the last two years.

The new highways include 32 with a total length of 653.66km in Dhaka division, 16 with total length of 352.26km in Khulna division, 14 with 258.90km in Chattogram division, 15 with 203.95km in Rangpur, eight highways with 196.87km in Rajshahi, six with 142.48km in Mymensingh, four highways with 106.18km in Sylhet and four highways with 107.26km in Barishal division.

Of these, 99 highways were developed with government fund, while one — the 70km Joydebpur (Gazipur)-Alenga (Tangail) four-lane highway with service lanes on both sides — was constructed with foreign loans (Tk 3,205crore) and the government fund (Tk 2,963.64 crore).

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader spoke at the function moderated by PM’s Principal Secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah.

Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri made a presentation on the 100 new highways.

Out of the 22,476-km road network under the RHD, there are 3,991km national highways, 4,897km regional highways and 13,588km district roads.

The national highways connect the capital to divisional cities, sea ports, land ports and international highways. Regional highways connect district towns to river ports and land ports. District roads link district towns with upazilas or one upazila with another.

On November 7, the PM inaugurated 100 newly constructed bridges with a total length of 5,494 meters, built at a cost of Tk 8,79.61 crore, in 25 districts of the country.