The government will upgrade the road from Hatikamrul to Jessore and that from Navaran to Bhomra land port to four-lane highways for establishing a regional transport corridor, officials said on Friday.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is now looking for external resources for the country's western transport corridor, which will require US$2.0 billion, they said.
"We are hopeful about getting partial funds for upgrading the 260-kilometre Hatikamrul to Jessore and Navaron (Jessore) to Bhomra road to four-lane highways from the World Bank (WB) as we have already discussed it with the Bank," said a Department official.
After the partial funding, the department would need to close the gap with funds from external development partners for the project, the official added.
The Department expects China-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to join the WB as a co-financier of the project.
"We have requested the Economic Relations Division (ERD) to seek external resources," the official said.
After getting funding confirmation from any development partners, he said the Department would start construction of the highways with service lanes on both sides, according to the official.
The four-lane highways would not only connect the impoverished western part of the country with central Bangladesh, but also link Chattogram and Mongla ports and some other land ports with the western and northern region, the official said.
The RHD has started work on upgrading the Joydevpur-Elenga and Elenga-Rangpur roads to four-lane highways to connect the western and northern region of the country.
The under-construction four-lane highways will connect the proposed Hatikamrul-Jessore and Navaran-Bhomra road.
Another RHD official said the proposed four-lane highways will be the Asian Highway (AH41), SASEC, BIMSTEC and SAARC corridors.
If the four-lane roads are completed, it will also establish a smooth communication of Banglabandha and Burimari land ports with Bhomra and Benapole land ports, he added.
When this corridor will be established, the cross-border trade with India, Nepal and Bhutan will increase, the RHD official said.
He said, "We have already completed the feasibility study and detailed design for both roads. We have a plan to complete the road upgrade work by 2024."
