Asian Highway to help implement look-east policy: Abul Hossain
Monday, 14 September 2009
Bangladesh would be immensely benefited from being connected with the Asian Highway facilitating the country to implement its look-east policy.
Minister for Commu- nications Syed Abul Hossain Sunday said this in the House while replying to a question from treasury bench member Mohibur Rahman Manik, reports BSS.
The communications minister said through connecting with the Asian Highway Bangladesh would be a part of international road communication system which will stretch from Tokyo- Turkey in the east, Russia in the north and Indonesia in the south.
The highway would be a stimulus project for development of the country's communication system creating facilities for carrying passengers and goods on the regional and international routes and boosting trade and commerce with other countries connected with the network, he said.
The regional connectivity would help increasing foreign investment besides bringing overall socio-economic development of the country.
The minister said Bangladesh would be able to provide transport service to India, Nepal, Myanmar, China and other countries increasing its national income from transport sector and maximum use of the Mongla and Chittagong ports.
The Asian Highway would help expanding trade relations with China, Thailand and Japan facilitating Bangladesh to implement its look-east policy, he said adding a developed road connectivity is essential to make the proposed deep-sea port in Chittagong viable.
Replying to a question from M Shahiduzzaman Sarkar (Naogaon-2), the minister said Bangladesh Road Transport Corpo-ration (BRTC) earned profits of nearly Tk 2.84 billion (283.85 crore) over the last eight fiscal years since 2000-2001.
He said the state run transport agency has now 797 buses in its fleet out of which 473 are in good condition and 324 out of order.
BRTC has 161 trucks and among them 145 are fit for transporting goods. Fourteen vehicles are repairable and two others are completely out of order.
The minister said mobile courts of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) filed 414 cases against the transport companies in the last one month for taking excess fare from the passengers in the city. On the charge, the courts fined the transport companies Tk 0.766 million (7.66 lakh) during the period. The drive against the excess fare collectors would continue in future, he said.
Replying to a question from M Harunur Rashid, the minister said Bangladesh Railway has undertaken five projects involving Tk 11.50 billion for development of railway. Under the plan, Pahartali railway workshop would be developed and double track line would be constructed in the Laksam-Chinkiastana section.
Under the project, Chittagong Railway Sta-tion Yard would be remodeled and 11 locomotive engines would be procured for railway, the minister said.
Minister for Commu- nications Syed Abul Hossain Sunday said this in the House while replying to a question from treasury bench member Mohibur Rahman Manik, reports BSS.
The communications minister said through connecting with the Asian Highway Bangladesh would be a part of international road communication system which will stretch from Tokyo- Turkey in the east, Russia in the north and Indonesia in the south.
The highway would be a stimulus project for development of the country's communication system creating facilities for carrying passengers and goods on the regional and international routes and boosting trade and commerce with other countries connected with the network, he said.
The regional connectivity would help increasing foreign investment besides bringing overall socio-economic development of the country.
The minister said Bangladesh would be able to provide transport service to India, Nepal, Myanmar, China and other countries increasing its national income from transport sector and maximum use of the Mongla and Chittagong ports.
The Asian Highway would help expanding trade relations with China, Thailand and Japan facilitating Bangladesh to implement its look-east policy, he said adding a developed road connectivity is essential to make the proposed deep-sea port in Chittagong viable.
Replying to a question from M Shahiduzzaman Sarkar (Naogaon-2), the minister said Bangladesh Road Transport Corpo-ration (BRTC) earned profits of nearly Tk 2.84 billion (283.85 crore) over the last eight fiscal years since 2000-2001.
He said the state run transport agency has now 797 buses in its fleet out of which 473 are in good condition and 324 out of order.
BRTC has 161 trucks and among them 145 are fit for transporting goods. Fourteen vehicles are repairable and two others are completely out of order.
The minister said mobile courts of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) filed 414 cases against the transport companies in the last one month for taking excess fare from the passengers in the city. On the charge, the courts fined the transport companies Tk 0.766 million (7.66 lakh) during the period. The drive against the excess fare collectors would continue in future, he said.
Replying to a question from M Harunur Rashid, the minister said Bangladesh Railway has undertaken five projects involving Tk 11.50 billion for development of railway. Under the plan, Pahartali railway workshop would be developed and double track line would be constructed in the Laksam-Chinkiastana section.
Under the project, Chittagong Railway Sta-tion Yard would be remodeled and 11 locomotive engines would be procured for railway, the minister said.