Completing the ongoing mega infrastructure projects is one of the top priorities of the new administration, says Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader.
“Construction of Dhaka metro rail, Karnaphuli Tunnel, Padma Bridge and elevated expressway projects have been fast-tracked,” Quader said on Thursday (Jan 10).
Speaking to media at his office, he said, “Construction of these fast track projects will be completed soon.”
The minister said, “Construction of four-lane roads from Gazipur to Elenga to Rangpur to Burimari to Panchagar will be started in the next phase.”
“Construction work of Dhaka-Sylhet and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar four-lane roads will start anew,” Quader said before adding, “Implementation of these projects will begin by Jun through public-private partnership (PPP).”
Japanese investment for these projects is likely, said the minister.
Referring to the Cabinet members’ bus ride to Tungipara and Savar, Quader said hinted at ‘the prime minister is mulling a bus service for transporting ministers to the Secretariat.”
A day after taking oath on Jan 7, the members of the new cabinet took the bus ride to Savar to pay tribute to martyrs at the National Memorial on Jan 8 and to Gopalganj’s Tungipara to pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Jan 9.
On Thursday, former information minister and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSoD) Hasanul Haq Inu met Quader, who is the general secretary of ruling Awami League.
Inu’s JaSoD is an ally in the Awami League-led 14-party Alliance.
Asked on the meeting, Quader termed it a ‘regular call’ without revealing the details.