Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina forbids reconstructing the roads which were damaged or cut open to drain out floodwater in Sylhet region rather instructs constructing elevated roads, bridges or culverts in the same alignments.
She issued the direction at Tuesday's Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting that approved 10 development projects involving an estimated cost of Tk 22.17 billion, Planning Minister MA Mannan told reporters.
Besides, he added, the Prime Minister renewed her advice for construction of bridges and culverts instead of roads in Haor and flood-affected areas in the future, as reports say some roads in floodplains blocked flow of water.
The Planning Minister said: "Special projects will be undertaken for rehabilitation of the flood- victims of Sylhet region."
Sheikh Hasina also directed the authorities concerned to find out the places where the construction of underpasses and overpasses is needed.
Presided over by the Prime Minister, the ECNEC meeting approved six fresh projects and four revised ongoing ones.
Emerging from the meeting, the Planning Minister told journalists that out of the total Tk22.17 billion, Tk 18.75 billion will come from government's internal resources while the rest Tk3.41 billion from external sources as project assistance.
Among the approved projects is Cox's Bazar-Teknaf marine drive road-widening (1.60th km to 32th km) project that costs Tk 10.92 billion. It will be implemented from July 2022 to June 2025.
The main objectives of the road-widening project are to establish a "safe communications system, develop the tourism industry and improve the socioeconomic condition of the local people".
Under widening work is some 30km portion of the marine-drive road and upgrading a two-lane 305-metre bridge over Reju Khal.
It also approved extension of improved variety and technology of spices at Tk1.19 billion, sustainable agriculture extension in Jashore region at Tk1,71 billion, a railway overpass construction at Railbazar located at 81st km of Kushtia (Trimohoni)-Meherpur-Chuadanga-Jhenaidah Regional Highway project at Tk 751.1 million, construction of PC girder bridges and RCC Box culverts in places of dilapidated, narrow bailey bridges on the Pirojpur part of Chakhali-Tushkhali-Mathbaria-Patharghata Highway project at Tk 3.33 billion, extension of physical infrastructural facilities of MES (Military Engineering Services) in Dhaka Cantonment project worth Tk 985 million.
The other projects approved are construction of a railway overpass at Gatepar in Jamalpur town (1st revised) project at an additional cost of Tk 1.32 billion, Chief Judicial Magistrate Court bhaban construction at 64 district headquarters in Bangladesh-1st Phase (3rd revised) project lessening the cost by Tk 2.04 billion to Tk 24.64 billion, emergency assistance in water supply and sanitation in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas of Cox's Bazar district (1st revised) at an additional cost of Tk 3.07 billion and Cox's Bazar-Teknaf road (N-1) development (2nd revised) project at an extra Tk 919.6 million cost.
