A groundbreaking ceremony for the widening of the Baraiyerhat-Heanko-Ramgarh Road being taken up under India’s concession line of credit to Bangladesh was held on Wednesday in Dhaka. The project is being implemented under India’s third Concessional Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 4.5 billion extended to the Government of Bangladesh.
The project, at a total project cost of USD 80.06 million envisages the widening of approximately 38 km of the Baraiyerhat-Heanko-Ramgarh road in Ramgarh upazila under Khagrachhari district. It would contribute to the improvement of the road network between the Chattogram Port and the Ramgarh Land Port. Additionally, with the Government of India funded India-Bangladesh Maitree Friendship Bridge on Feni River having already been constructed, this road project will boost two-way trade between Bangladesh and India as well as regional trade of Bangladesh through the Sabroom-Ramgarh Land Customs Station (LCS).
Bangladesh Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader was the Chief Guest during the virtual ceremony held at his office in Dhaka. High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Pranay Verma along with Secretary, Road Transport and Highways Division, A.B.M. Amin Ullah Nuri participated as Special Guests.
The High Commissioner emphasized the importance of projects in the roads and highways sector. He said five projects worth USD 932 million are under implementation by the Roads and Highways Department. Additionally, three supply projects worth USD 91 million for the supply of double-decker, single-decker, AC and non-AC buses and heavy-duty trucks have already been completed. Taken together, India’s total project commitment in the roads and highways sector has surpassed USD 1 billion.
Bangladesh was India’s largest development partner both in terms of value and number of projects, with nearly 10 billion dollars extended under concessional financing. More than USD 2 billion has been contracted to date and disbursements crossed USD 1 billion during the year 2022. India had emerged as the fastest and largest disburser among the development partners of Bangladesh during the most challenging pandemic period, said the press release issued by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
