Bangladesh Infrastructure: News and Updates

[TopCat]

hope the thing doesn't fall apart by reducing the costs. The local engineers have zero aesthetic sense by the way.

You think Singapore has any less aesthetic sense??? Jamilur Reza who is in charge of designing the elevated express way was one of the top member of Singapore master plan. So rest in peace and you will get a masterpiece once the project is complete.

$2bln dollar looks too high to me. It can be done for less than a 700 mln when land and other utilities are taken care of by government.

 

[integra]

hmmm I didn know that Jamilur sir was in the team of Singapores master plan. He's a well known and respected civil engineer, unfortunately we(architects) and them(civil engineers) doesn always mix well. But they are obviously more practical. If its well designed and beautiful then :clap: :clap: everyones happy

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

China to construct Chittagong-Cumming road-rail link

Friday, 22 October 2010 22:21

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)

China to construct Chittagong-Cumming road-rail link

DHAKA, Oct 22 (BSS)- China will construct road and railway link between Chittagong and Cumming via Myanmar to boost Sino-Bangladesh bilateral cooperation.

Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Liu Zhen said this in a meeting with visiting Bangladesh's State Minister for Environment and Forests Dr Hasan Mahmud in Beijing today, a message received here said.

Mr. Liu proposed to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries in the fields of trade, transportation and climate change issues and showed keen interest in development of road and rail communication between Chittagong and Cumming via Myanmar.

Dr. Hasan attached importance on urgency of development of the planned Deep Sea Port in Sonadia, Cox's Bazaar and sought support of the Chinese government to this effect.

The two ministers agreed that the proposed deep-sea port would offer an opening to sea to the Yuan region of China.

They exchanged views on issues relating to adaptation and mitigation to climate change and recognized the need for a comprehensive agreement in coming climate conference in Cancun, Mexico. Later on the day, Dr. Hasan met Ms. GAO Yuan, Deputy Director General and senior representative of the Department of Aid to Foreign Countries of the Ministry of Commerce.

They discussed the possibilities of narrowing the gap in trade between the two countries by increasing import from Bangladesh and utilization of potentials of investment in Bangladesh especially in the newly established Export Promotion Zone (EPZ) in Chittagong.

Dr Hasan also had a useful meeting with Vice Minister of Ministry of Environmental Protection of China Wu Xiaoping, who earlier was the vice governor of Cumming.

Wu Xiaoping valued the importance of establishing strong connectivity between Bangladesh with Yuan.

Recognizing the efforts of the Ministry of Environmental Protection in making Beijing a clean city by creating pollution free environment, Dr Hasan requested for assistance for similar efforts for Dhaka and Chittagong with special attention to waste management.

The Chinese minister proposed to support Bangladesh to capacity building of the concerned officials through organizing training programmes in China.

Dr Hasan, who is now in an official visit to China, is leading a six member delegation. Members of the delegation include Vice Chancellor of the BRAC University Dr. Ainun Nishat and Organizing Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Ahmed Hossain.

 

[eastwatch]

Dhaka-Ctg Highway widening work set to start Nov 15
Munima Sultana

The main part of the much-awaited Dhaka-Chittagong Highway widening work is set to start on November 15, officials said Sunday.

They said the three award winners - one Chinese and two local companies - have been asked to start the land development work from six points of the corridor on the day.

The officials said it will start from Daukandi, Comilla portion of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, and continue up to the end point of the four-lane project.

"We have set the target to start land development work from 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 10 blocks initially," said Project Director Arifur Rahman.

He said a land survey work has now been going on to guide the companies about the level of earthwork in each block. The companies have also been directed about the November 15 target.

The contractors - Sinohydro Corporation of China and two local firms Reza Construction Ltd and Al-Amin Construction Ltd -won the international bid in December, according to which they are bound to complete the widening of the existing two-lane highway into four-lane by 2013.

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the executing agency of the 23.82 billion project, has released more than Tk 1.5 billion to the winners to meet the public procurement rule of disbursing 10 per cent of the project cost.

The officials said all the companies have already started their work and developed respective project offices at various sites.

Though almost 10 months have passed after the bidding, the officials said the time has been used to complete various initial work like establishing laboratories, cutting trees along the roadside etc.

"They have set up seven out of 10 laboratories and have cut 70 per cent of the targeted trees required to widen the highway," the PD told the FE, refuting the allegation that the important artery project work has been delayed.

Plans to expand the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor into four lanes were initiated in 2004, but its bidding process was cancelled twice in 2006 and 2008 due to alleged unfair practices.

According to a RHD study, 18,000 motor vehicles on an average use the corridor everyday, making it the country's busiest highway.

 

[akash57]

Bangladesh links villages to internet

Dhaka, Nov 11 (DPA) Bangladesh Thursday launched rural information service centres to connect villages to the internet to give ordinary people the benefits of information technology.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed opened the Union Information Service Centre for 4,501 local government units across Bangladesh by talking to United Nations Development Programme chief Helen Clark, who is travelling in the southern part of the country, via a video conference from her office in Dhaka.

'The centres will help people get most public services at the rural level through information technology,' the premier said, adding that it would help achieve her vision for Digital Bangladesh by 2021.

The centres will provide all government forms, public notifications and gazettes, birth and death registration information, passport and visa support, information on public examinations, new jobs, laws, health and agricultural, and disaster management among others.

These centres will also provide commercial services and social services to residents.

All unions - the lowest tier of local government - are now linked to the internet.

Bangladesh links villages to internet

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Dhaka-Chittagong Highway
Four-lane scheme delayed by a year

New consultancy firm awaits govt nod

Four-lane scheme delayed by a year

M Abul Kalam Azad

Launching of the construction works to upgrade Dhaka-Chittagong highway would take more time although 11 months since the signing of the job contract have already been passed over consultancy glitch.

Arifur Rahman Zinnah, director of the Tk 1,655 crore project, claimed that the construction work would start from the end of December this year. Officials of Roads and Highways Department, however, projected that it might take more time as the government is still stuck in appointing a consultant.

"We have chosen a new consultancy firm and will sign a deal with it by the end of this month. The firm is awaiting approval of the cabinet committee on government purchase," Zinnah, who has recently taken charge of the project, told The Daily Star.

He is optimistic about completing the project by 2013.

Expansion of the two-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway was initiated in 2006 with a view to complete the construction in three years. However, the successive governments failed to finalise the project.

The present government revived the project on a priority basis and signed a deal with Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation and two local companies Reza Construction and Tahir Brothers Ltd on January 10 this year.

The project has been in jeopardy since Pakistani consultant Nespak, which was supposed to monitor the work, suddenly quit in June this year after its demand for higher fees was rejected. It did not respond despite repeated warnings prompting the government to cancel the deal and opting for fresh move for a new consultant.

The consultancy row then turned into a legal battle. The High Court imposed an injunction on appointing a new firm following a writ filed by Nespak against the deal cancellation. The government appealed to the higher court for vacating the stay order. This legal confrontation exhausted more time in implementing the project.

"We have won the legal conflict, which paved the way for the recruitment of a new consultant," said the project director, adding that they have selected CES-DEVCON, a Bangladesh-India joint venture firm.

Meanwhile, a number of RHD officials believe that frequent changing of project directors (seven times) is another reason behind the delay in commencing the construction. Md Mafizur Islam was the last project director replaced.

Sinohydro Corporation, Reza Construction and Tahir Brothers Ltd are almost sitting idle after completing primary tasks like constructions of project offices and accommodation for workers.

The delay might make the highway impossible to negotiate with as the number of vehicles plying on it has crossed over 22,000 a day prolonging a six-hour journey to 10-15 hours.

"The highway just cannot take anymore load. It in such a shambles that even a flat tyre of a truck can trigger miles of tailbacks on either side of the carriageway," said an official of Highway Development and Management Circle of RHD.

The country's busiest highway linking the port city and the capital has become a death trap due to increasing vehicular movement and frequent road crashes.

 

[TopCat]

Newest design of Padma Bridge.

YouTube - ????? ???? ???? ??? Padma Bridge

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Telenor upbeat on internet prospects

Telenor upbeat on internet prospects
Star Business Report

Telecom giant Telenor Group is upbeat on Bangladesh’s growth prospect in internet penetration, said a top official yesterday.

Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and chief executive of Telenor, the majority stakeholder in Grameenphone, said there would be a 25 percent rate of internet penetration in Bangladesh within a few months.

“We, from Telenor Group, are very eager to move on that line,” he said. “We have a long-term ambition to deepen and widen the network and also bring in the skill that the group can offer to Grameenphone.”

Baksaas was speaking to journalists after a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at his secretariat office in Dhaka.

“We have seen the telecom sector in Bangladesh moving much more rapidly than one could have expected if we go 10 years back,” he said. “Now it is a hectic sector, which really has a potential to get people connected.”

He said a majority of Bangladeshis have voice and sms services. “We will reach out for internet access in the coming years.”

He hopes the number of internet-users would rise as the number of people using mobile phones is increasing rapidly.

The meeting also discussed 3G technology, said Muhith. “We are open in this regard. Once the 3G technology is introduced, the country will be benefitted enormously.”

Muhith hopes teledensity in Bangladesh would soon reach 80 percent from 40 percent at present. He is however upset by the low level of internet penetration.

“Mobile density has increased, but internet usage is much lower. We hope the use of internet will go up. The mobile technology will play a vital role here.”

He said the meeting also discussed banking and financial services through the technology.

Telenor Group is keen to engage in financial services, especially in remote areas, where most financial institutions have no outlets. Since 1996, Telenor Group has invested $2.2 billion in Bangladesh and paid taxes worth up to $2.5 billion.

Grameenphone Chief Executive Oddvar Hesjedal was also present.

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Govt to invite private partners soon to develop Hi-Tech Park

Business

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka

The government in principle decided to invite expression of interest from interested private investors to develop Hi-Tech Park at Kaliakoir in Gazipur district.

It has been decided that the park will be developed on a public-private partnership basis and advertisement in this regard would be given in national dailies this week seeking EOI from interested companies.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the executive committee of High Tech Park Authority at Bangladesh secretariat with State Minister for Science, Information, and Communication Technology Yeafesh Osman in the chair.

For encouraging high tech park developers and investors, the government has decided to offer a 10-year tax holiday to the entrepreneurs who will set up industries at the high tech village.

Besides, investors would get accelerated depreciation facilities in buying equipment up to 10 years and foreign nationals working in the industry could enjoy three years’ tax exemption. On the other hand, investors will also get tax exemption to import all kinds of machineries up to 10 years.

The basic infrastructure of the Hi-Tech Park was constructed on an area of 232 acres at Kaliakoir beside the Dhaka-Tangail Highway, 25 kilometres away from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital city Dhaka.

The park is connected with the seaports of Chittagong and Mongla and land ports of the country both by road and railways.

The basic infrastructure includes a three-storey administrative building, internal roads, sewerage system, gas, power and water supply, electricity substation, and optic fibre connection to provide high power bandwidth with Internet facilities.

The meeting also decided to provide other facilities, including offshore banking, for investors. ‘There is no alternative to information technology to carry forward the country. That’s why the government has decided to develop the Hi-Tech Park at Kaliakoir,’ Yeafesh Osman said.

 

[akash57]

EU to grant €200m for Bangladesh's development

European Union (EU) will provide nearly €200 million grant support for poverty alleviation, good governance and human rights, human and social development throughout Bangladesh.

The financing will cover the period 2011 to 2013, said a EU press release.

To this effect, a Memorandum of Understanding between EU and the government was signed in the city yesterday by EU Delegation Ambassador Stefan Frowein and Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan.

"We had extensive consultations with government, civil society and other development partners during the design of this programme," said the EU Ambassador during the signing ceremony.

This comprehensive programme will make best use of European taxpayers' money and European knowledge and expertise, and will also provide a lasting and positive contribution to Bangladesh's development, he added.

The main aim of the EU assistance is to contribute to sustainable reduction of poverty in the country.

The assistance will be allocated among the focal sectors as per indicative amounts of €74 million for human and social development, €54 million for good governance and human rights, and €30 million for economic and trade development.

Issues of environment and climate change and food security will be mainstreamed in all the sectors of intervention, and will receive targeted support of nearly € 40 million.

As a signatory to international agreements on aid effectiveness and the Joint Cooperation Strategy for Bangladesh, EU is committed to align its assistance to country policies and country systems through active coordination and harmonisation with other development partners, the press release added.

EU to grant €200m for Bangladesh's development

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

WB to disburse Padma Bridge fund quickly
BSS, St Petersburg

WB to disburse Padma Bridge fund quickly

The World Bank has assured Bangladesh of quick release of fund committed by the organisation for construction of the much-desired Padma Bridge.

The assurance came following request of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as WB President Robert B Zoellick paid a courtesy call on her at her guest house in the morning on the sidelines of the International Summit on "Preservation of Tigers" that began on Saturday.

They discussed various issues including the bank's support for socio-economic and infrastructural development of Bangladesh, said prime minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad after the meeting.

Laying emphasis on starting necessary works towards construction of Padma Bridge soon, Hasina said it would be delayed if the fund committed by the Bank was not released immediately.

The prime minister listed various programmes undertaken by her government to face climate change challenges as well as ensuring food security for the people and sought the WB support to implement those for overall development of Bangladesh.

She said her government had announced a 134-point programme to face climate change challenges and put special importance on agriculture for achieving food security in the country.

Hasina said her government is also working jointly with other member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) for socio-economic development of the South Asian nations.

The WB president appreciated Hasina for her prudent leadership in different international forums to face climate change challenges and ensure food security for her country.

"Your concept of building a digital Bangladesh is also praiseworthy, it would help build a digital nation in future," Zeollick told Hasina in the meeting.

The WB chief also assured that it would extend all-out support for implementing the government's programmes in facing climate change challenges including capital dredging and disaster management.

He expressed the hope that Bangladesh would go forward in terms of socio-economic development under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Forest and Environment Hasan Mahmud, Principal Secretary MA Karim and Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia SM Saiful Hoque, among others, were present on the occasion.

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

ADB provides US$ 615 million for bridge in Bangladesh

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-construction/detail/item60102/ADB-provides-US$-615-million-for-bridge-in-Bangladesh/

Written by Helen Wright - 25 Nov 2010

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has loaned US$ 615 million to support a public-private partnership project constructing a major bridge in Bangladesh.

ADB is providing over 21% of the total investment cost of nearly U$ 2.92 billion for the Padma bridge project, which will provide a fixed river crossing for road traffic linking the southwest of the country to northern and eastern regions.

The building work will include the construction of a six km long two-level steel truss bridge consisting of a four lane highway to accommodate road vehicles on top, and a lower deck with a single track railway to be added in future.

Toll plazas and service areas will also be built, together with 12 km of approach roads. In addition, dredging and river bank protection will be carried out.

"It is the largest project assistance we have provided to Bangladesh. Implementing such a large project will be a major challenge, and the Government and development partners would need to work very closely to initiate and complete the project on time," Sultan Rahman, director general of ADB's South Asia department said.

Hideaki Iwasaki, principal transport specialist in ADB's South Asia department, added that the new Padma bridge will also have wider regional impacts.

"It will form part of the proposed Asian Highway route that connects Asia to Europe," Mr Iwasaki explained.

A fixed crossing over the Padma River is also essential for further development of the main sea port in the Bagerhat district of south-western Bangladesh, Mongla Port, which handles commercial cargo and containers.

ADB's Board of Directors approved the loan funds on 25 November. The World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Islamic Development Bank are also co-financing the project, according to the ADB.

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Govt plans road, rail links with Nepal and Bhutan: Minister

Posted on December 2, 2010

Govt plans road, rail links with Nepal and Bhutan: Minister

DHAKA, Dec 1 : Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain today said the government is planning to establish road and rail links with Nepal and Bhutan next to India and Myanmar as part of the regional connectivity. Once the rail and road connectivity is ensured, he said, people of the South Asian countries will not only be able to move easily but also transport goods to increase trade and commerce in the region.

The connectivity will bring a huge economic prosperity to the South Asian countries especially Bangladesh, said the minister.

He made these observations while inaugurating a regional meeting on ‘Transport Connectivity in the Northeastern South Asia’ at Hotel Sonargaon in the city.

Director of South Asia Transport and Communications Division (SATC) Sri Widowati chaired the function. Country Director of the Asian development Bank (ADB) Thevakumar Kandiah gave the inaugural speech.

Director of South Asia Country Coordination and Regional Cooperation Division of ADB Sekhar Bonu, Principal transport specialist of SATC of the Bank Hiroaki Yamaguchi and senior transport specialist Dong Kyu Lee focused on strategic approach of ADB on regional transport.

Abul Hossain said Bangladesh like other countries has already started inclusion of prioritized recommendations in its action plan for required infrastructural development to facilitate regional traffic movement.

He described the introduction of direct passenger train between Dhaka and Kolkata as an example of increased connectivity in the region and said many other initiatives are in the offing for rail, road and maritime sectors to augment the capacity of handling regional traffic.

“We are also working for direct bus service between Dhaka- Agartala, Thimphu and Kathmandu,” he said and hoped that the direct service would immensely contribute to sub-regional connectivity.

Thevakumar Kandiah said greater regional cooperation will help South Asia realize its full potential in economic and social development and enable the region to participate effectively in wider Asian integration.

South Asian countries should capitalize their strategic location with Europe and the Far East Asia, which has functioned as the connectivity hub for the Europe- Middle East-Far East Asian trade, said the ADB country director.

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Govt mulls 3rd seaport in Kuakata: PM


Govt mulls 3rd seaport in Kuakata: PM

TOKYO, Dec 2 (UNB): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has firmly said Bangladeshi soil will never be used for any terrorist or violent activities.

Hasina made the remark to a group of Bangladeshi journalists at her hotel suit Wednesday evening.

She said as part of the massive infrastructure development programmes, the government is thinking to set up third seaport in Kuakata.

Hasina mentioned the Japan government's commitment to provide Bangladesh additional US$ 100 million for construction of the Padma Bridge.

She said after long struggle, democracy has been restored in the country and the people have reposed a great responsibility on the present government to ensure their wellbeing.

"We have been able to restore peace in society. None will be allowed to use the soil of Bangladesh to launch any terror or violent activities," the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister described her tri-nation visit as very successful and said all the friendly countries of Bangladesh have assured her of continuing their supports and assistances to expedite national development.

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Japan finalises Padma Bridge loan modalities
FHM Humayan Kabir

Japan finalises Padma Bridge loan modalities
The Japan government has finalised the modalities of its pledged US$400 million loan for building Bangladesh's largest rail-cum-road bridge over the mighty Padma, officials said.

Finance ministry officials said Japan would charge 0.01 per cent interest for its proposed loan providing 40 years' repayment facilities with 10 years' grace period.

The Japanese ambassador in Dhaka in a letter last week stated the conditions and modalities of their $400 million credit, a senior economic relations division (ERD) official told the FE.

Following repeated requests by Dhaka, Tokyo has agreed to raise its investment amount to $400 million for the Padma Bridge from its earlier assurance of $300 million.

The ERD official said: "Now we are hopeful of signing the loan agreement with Japan in early February next year. In the meantime, we will complete the process for signing the agreement."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a visit to Tokyo from November 28 to December 2 requested her counterpart to extend financial support for building the Padma Bridge.

In October, a Japanese mission visited Dhaka to discuss the modalities for the proposed loan for building the $2.90 billion Padma Bridge.

ERD officials said the Japanese donor agency--Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-- in early September in Dhaka assured the government of bankrolling the 6.15-kilometre Padma Bridge.

JICA formally offered $300 million loan for building Padma Bridge in talks with Bangladesh government agencies in Dhaka.

The ERD official said Japanese loan would be softer than other loans offered by three multilateral donor agencies--World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

The World Bank gave assurance of $1.50 billion credit charging 0.75 per cent interest, ADB $615 million with more than 2.0 per cent interest and the IDB $140 million charging more than 3.0 per cent interest for constructing the largest bridge over the river Padma.

Bangladesh government in 2008 had undertaken the project for road-cum-railway bridge over the river Padma at Mawa-Janjira point at a cost of US$1.46 billion which recently increased to $2.9 billion.

JICA in 2005 conducted a feasibility study on the proposed Padma Bridge project and handed over its report to the government. Later the government in 2008 appointed a New Zealand-based consulting firm for conducing feasibility study again.

Bangladesh has already invited bids from international firms to construct the 6.15km Padma multipurpose bridge.

A joint donor-government survey showed that Padma Bridge would boost the country's gross domestic product by 1.2 per cent, revive the fortune of Mongla Port and cut poverty in the poorest south-west region.

The present government has made commitment to complete the country's largest bridge at the Mawa-Janjira point across the mighty river Padma by 2013.