Businesses call for expeditious dev of transport network

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FE Report
Business leaders Saturday put emphasis on the development of the transport network through public-private partnership (PPP) to adequately support greater business activity and speed up the country's economic growth.
They also demanded of the government immediate reconstruction of Dhaka-Chittagong Highway for smooth transportation of goods.
As the country's main economic lifeline, rail and road communication between Dhaka and Chittagong should be modernized, the businessmen also said.
The business leaders said these at a seminar on 'National Communication Infrastructure: Role of Private Sector' held at the conference room of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry(DCCI).
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) organised the seminar where Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain was present as the chief guest and Mozammel Hoque Khan, secretary of communications ministry, joined it as the special guest.
Abul Kasem Khan, president of DCCI, delivered the address of welcome and Nazrul Islam, executive director of DCCI, presented the keynote paper.
Syed Abul Hossain said the present government is very much conscious about communication development and reconstruction and the government is also trying its best for early construction of elevated express way in the capital.
"Without infrastructure development no country has achieved progress and so our government has promised to develop this sector," he said
In his speech the minister said goods transportation through railway is cheaper than through other transports and that is why Tk 60 billion has been allocated in the budget for import of locomotives, passengers' coaches and goods wagons.
The construction work of Padma Bridge, country's largest bridge, is expected to be launched by early next year (2011) and is likely to be opened for traffic after three years, the minister said.
"As the gross domestic product(GDP) of the country would increase by 1.3 per cent after construction of Padma Bridge from business activities only, our government would work hard to complete the bridge in time," said the minister.
He also assured the businessmen that reconstruction and building of four-lane road between Dhaka and Chittagong would be launched shortly.
About easing of traffic jam in Dhaka city the minister said clean-up drive of footpaths and strict traffic law will be enforced from November 01.
Nearly 1000 commuter buses from China and Korea will be imported soon apart from building a large number of overpasses and underpasses as well as elevated expressway in the city, the minister also said.
The communication minister urged the business leaders to come under public-private partnership (PPP) and also participate in construction of Dhaka-Chittagong expressway.
Mustafizur Rahman, chairman of Institute of Development Strategy (IDS), Khariul Majid Mahmood, member of national communication transport, Waliur Rahman, co-ordinating director of national communication, transportation and infrastructure development, among others, spoke at the seminar.