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Coronavirus Fallout: Bangladesh Mega projects may suffer for Chinese staff’s absence
Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary
Works of several mega development projects in Bangladesh may be hampered if the situation in China centring coronavirus does not improve soon.
Many Chinese nationals working in the projects went home to celebrate the Chinese New Year on December 25 and they might not be able to return and join work in time.
The authorities of one of the projects have already extended the leave of several hundred Chinese nationals for a week and the leave may be extended further. Besides, the authorities of several other projects were considering similar moves.
The Daily Star has learnt about the development after to talking to a dozen Bangladeshi officials involved in the projects under the Bridges Division, Bangladesh Railways, Power Division and Roads and Highways Department (RHD).
The projects include Padma Bridge, Padma Bridge Rail Link, Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar (Ramu) Rail Link, construction of tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, upgradation of Dhaka Bypass Road and Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant.
Thousands of Chinese nationals, including engineers and workers, are employed by several Chinese companies working in those projects, said officials in Dhaka.
In China, coronavirus has already claimed more than a hundred lives and continues to spread. Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in almost all the provinces in China.
The Chinese health authorities yesterday announced that 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) had been reported in 30 provincial-level regions.
The authorities locked down Wuhan city, the epicentre of the outbreak, and several other cities for two weeks, to check the spread of the virus. There are now strict transport restrictions in and out of those areas.
The Bangladesh government have directed the authorities concerned to screen those coming from abroad, especially China. In the last nine days, more than 3,000 people were screened at the capital’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
No coronavirus case has been detected in Bangladesh.
Against this backdrop, several project officials said many Chinese nations, who went home to celebrate the New Year, may not return to work on time in face of the travel restrictions in the Chinese cities under lockdown.
The Daily Star could not confirm the number of Chinese nationals who lives in those cities.
Around 1100 Chinese nationals are working at the Padma Bridge and related projects. At least 250 of them went on leave, Dewan Abdul Kader, an executive engineer of the project, told this daily yesterday.
He said they asked the Chinese nationals on leave not to return to their workplace within two weeks from January 22.
They have also asked the other Chinese nationals not to visit their homeland for now, he said.
“We have made the decision taking the current situation into consideration,” he said, adding that they took initiatives to create awareness on the virus.
Golam Fakhruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, project director of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, said almost half of the Chinese officials, engineers and workers involved in the project went on leave.
“We are discussing the issue, but haven’t made any decision,” he said.
Replying to another question, he said, “Work of the project may be hampered a little [if the situation does not improve].”
Around 800 Chinese nationals work in this project, said another official.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh China Power Company Limited, which is implementing Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant in Patuakhali, has already extended the leave of Chinese officials and employees for a week.
“The authority will extend the leave further if the situation does not improve,” Shahid Ullah Bhuyan, manager (Facility) at the BCPCL, told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said around 2200 Chinese nationals, including officials and engineers, were working at the project and around 40 percent of them either went on leave or left the workplace after completion of a part of the project.
Many of those on leave were supposed to return to Bangladesh at the end of this month, he said, adding, “But the project authorities have decided to extended the leave taking the situation [in China] into consideration.”
Asked whether the leave extension would hamper the project activities, Shahid replied in the positive.
https://www.thedailystar.net/frontp...cts-may-suffer-chinese-staffs-absence-1860439
In that case, the authorities may bring back some top officials and experts after they would be screened in Chinese and Bangladeshi airports.
Mofizur Rahman, project director of the construction of single line dual gauge railway track from Dohazari of Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar said they were waiting for the government’s decision in this regard.
“However, we have asked them [Chinese nationals] to take precautionary measures,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
No Chinese national working in the project are going to China or have returned from there recently, he said.
A Roads and Highways Department official involved in Dhaka Bypass Road Project said only two of 50 Chinese nationals working in the project are now in Bangladesh.
“They were supposed to return later this month or early next month. But in the given situation, I think their return may be delayed,” he told this newspaper.
Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary
Works of several mega development projects in Bangladesh may be hampered if the situation in China centring coronavirus does not improve soon.
Many Chinese nationals working in the projects went home to celebrate the Chinese New Year on December 25 and they might not be able to return and join work in time.
The authorities of one of the projects have already extended the leave of several hundred Chinese nationals for a week and the leave may be extended further. Besides, the authorities of several other projects were considering similar moves.
The Daily Star has learnt about the development after to talking to a dozen Bangladeshi officials involved in the projects under the Bridges Division, Bangladesh Railways, Power Division and Roads and Highways Department (RHD).
The projects include Padma Bridge, Padma Bridge Rail Link, Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar (Ramu) Rail Link, construction of tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, upgradation of Dhaka Bypass Road and Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant.
Thousands of Chinese nationals, including engineers and workers, are employed by several Chinese companies working in those projects, said officials in Dhaka.
In China, coronavirus has already claimed more than a hundred lives and continues to spread. Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in almost all the provinces in China.
The Chinese health authorities yesterday announced that 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) had been reported in 30 provincial-level regions.
The authorities locked down Wuhan city, the epicentre of the outbreak, and several other cities for two weeks, to check the spread of the virus. There are now strict transport restrictions in and out of those areas.
The Bangladesh government have directed the authorities concerned to screen those coming from abroad, especially China. In the last nine days, more than 3,000 people were screened at the capital’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
No coronavirus case has been detected in Bangladesh.
Against this backdrop, several project officials said many Chinese nations, who went home to celebrate the New Year, may not return to work on time in face of the travel restrictions in the Chinese cities under lockdown.
The Daily Star could not confirm the number of Chinese nationals who lives in those cities.
Around 1100 Chinese nationals are working at the Padma Bridge and related projects. At least 250 of them went on leave, Dewan Abdul Kader, an executive engineer of the project, told this daily yesterday.
He said they asked the Chinese nationals on leave not to return to their workplace within two weeks from January 22.
They have also asked the other Chinese nationals not to visit their homeland for now, he said.
“We have made the decision taking the current situation into consideration,” he said, adding that they took initiatives to create awareness on the virus.
Golam Fakhruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, project director of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, said almost half of the Chinese officials, engineers and workers involved in the project went on leave.
“We are discussing the issue, but haven’t made any decision,” he said.
Replying to another question, he said, “Work of the project may be hampered a little [if the situation does not improve].”
Around 800 Chinese nationals work in this project, said another official.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh China Power Company Limited, which is implementing Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant in Patuakhali, has already extended the leave of Chinese officials and employees for a week.
“The authority will extend the leave further if the situation does not improve,” Shahid Ullah Bhuyan, manager (Facility) at the BCPCL, told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said around 2200 Chinese nationals, including officials and engineers, were working at the project and around 40 percent of them either went on leave or left the workplace after completion of a part of the project.
Many of those on leave were supposed to return to Bangladesh at the end of this month, he said, adding, “But the project authorities have decided to extended the leave taking the situation [in China] into consideration.”
Asked whether the leave extension would hamper the project activities, Shahid replied in the positive.
https://www.thedailystar.net/frontp...cts-may-suffer-chinese-staffs-absence-1860439
In that case, the authorities may bring back some top officials and experts after they would be screened in Chinese and Bangladeshi airports.
Mofizur Rahman, project director of the construction of single line dual gauge railway track from Dohazari of Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar said they were waiting for the government’s decision in this regard.
“However, we have asked them [Chinese nationals] to take precautionary measures,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
No Chinese national working in the project are going to China or have returned from there recently, he said.
A Roads and Highways Department official involved in Dhaka Bypass Road Project said only two of 50 Chinese nationals working in the project are now in Bangladesh.
“They were supposed to return later this month or early next month. But in the given situation, I think their return may be delayed,” he told this newspaper.
