The Road Transport and Bridges (RTB) Ministry is in search of funds for turning the Dhaka-Mawa road into a four-lane highway.
It is mulling reconstruction of the road to facilitate smooth transportation passengers and goods using the planned Padma Bridge, officials said Saturday.
Road Transport and Bridges Ministry officials said they would require Tk 8.07 billion (US$103.66 million) for upgrading the road to a 4-lane highway.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) will expand the 32-kilometre road from the 1st Buriganga Bridge to Mawa if funds are available.
"Since the government has shortage of funds for the road upgradation project, we have requested the Economic Relations Division (ERD) to look for necessary funds for the project," said a ministry official.
He said they are expecting concessional loans from development partners including Japan, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, Middle Eastern donors or any other lenders.
A Planning Commission official said they have received a preliminary development project proposal (PDPP) from the RHD seeking preliminary approval.
Meanwhile, the government has started work to build the country's largest Padma Bridge to connect the impoverished south-western region with Dhaka city.
"When the Padma Bridge will be completed, traffic pressure on the present two-lane Dhaka-Mawa road will increase manifold. So, the road needs to be upgraded into four-lane one," said the ministry official.
Besides, the highway will help ensure smooth transportation of goods across the South Asian region when the cross-border and regional trade will begin, he added.
Bangladesh has already allowed India to conduct cross-border as several frontiers have already been developed to ensure smooth transportation.
Benapole in Jessore is the biggest land port where the country's more than 60 per cent trade is being conducted crossing this customs point.
The Dhaka-Mawa road is also important for transporting goods and passengers to and from the capital city from the Benapole land port through the under-construction Padma Bridge.
The RTB Ministry official said the Dhaka-Mawa road will reduce the distance between Dhaka and districts in the south-western regions.
According to the plan, the US$2.9 billion Padma Bridge will be completed by 2018.
The RHD is also preparing to expand the 1st Buriganga Bridge in Dhaka to Mawa road by June 2019.
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