ADB Speeding Up SASEC Projects in Sri Lanka
16 March 2022
A delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) discussed with officials of the Bangladesh Roads and Highways Department (RHD) South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) projects funded by the ADB, during a meeting at RHD headquarters in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The meeting discussed the SASEC Road Connectivity Project-3 and Project 4; the SASEC Dhaka-South Corridor Improvement Project; SASEC Dhaka-Chattogram Highway Improvement Project; and the SASEC Chattogram Port Access Road Improvement Project.
Mr. Ravi Peri, director of transport and communications division, South Asia Department of ADB, AKM Manir Hossain Pathan, chief engineer, RHD, and their respective delegations attended the meeting. The ADB team also met with Mr. Nazrul Islam, secretary, Bangladesh Road Transport and Highways Division.
The SASEC projects will improve road communication and transport connectivity. SASEC Road Connectivity Project-3 will expand the 110-kilometer (km) Rangpur-Teesta-Burimari highway from two lanes to four lanes and build service lanes. The project is estimated to cost $237 million. The feasibility study for the project has been completed and the project could start construction in 2023.
The SASEC Road Connectivity Project-4 will expand the 120-km two-lane Rangpur-Banglabandha highway from two lanes to four lanes and build service lanes. Construction could start in 2024.
Under SASEC-1, the RHD is completing a project to expand the 70-km highway from Gazipur's Joydebpur to Tangail's Elanga. Under SASEC-2, RHD is expanding the 190-km highway from Elenga to Rangpur. Another project to build a dedicated bus corridor on Dhaka-Gazipur, also funded by ADB, is ongoing.
The SASEC Dhaka-South Corridor Improvement Project will expand from two to four lanes of the 152-km highway from Rajbari's Douladia to Barishal road via Faridpur. Work is set to begin in 2023.
The SASEC Dhaka-Chattogram Highway Improvement Project will develop the 231-km four-lane highway. Construction is set to begin in 2024. Under the SASEC Chattogram Port Access Road Improvement Project, additional lanes will be added to the 11.5-km two-lane toll-road.
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