The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has moved to upgrade and rehabilitate 22 more bridges in the country's western zone to manage a Japanese assistance given for the purpose, officials said.
They also said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided Tk 4.0 billion fund, under Tk 29.11-billion Western Bangladesh Bridge Improvement Project (WBBIP), for constructing a bridge to establish link with a private economic zone (EZ).
Construction of the 608-metre bridge was planned over Shitalakhya river to connect A K Khan Economic Zone in Narsingdi with Dhaka.
They said JICA cancelled the fund, as no foreign direct investment (FDI) was visible in the EZ until now. JICA gave a deadline for having FDI in the EZ by February 2016 for using its fund for the bridge construction.
Earlier, JICA signed an agreement in 2015 to provide Tk 19.05 billion fund to RHD for upgrading and rehabilitating 61 bridges under WBBIP to revitalise local economy and to reduce economic and social disparities among regions.
Of the total 61 bridges, RHD has already awarded the work orders of 60 bridges - 50 concrete bridges and 10 steel bridges - in Khulna, Gopalganj, Barisal, Rangpur and Rajshahi.
"We waited for more than a year to see development in the private EZ. But for lack of due development, a decision was taken to shift the fund for other purposes in concurrence with JICA," WBBIP Project Director (PD) M Jawad Alam told the FE.
RHD officials said they have already finalised the bridges, which will be upgraded and improved, following approval of the project's financier.
RHD has also taken a move to revise the development project proposal (DPP) to extend the project's duration up to 2022 from 2020, and Project Evaluation Committee has already reviewed the DPP.
"There will be no increase in the total project cost," the PD said.
He further said the cost of 22 more bridge improvement work has been assessed Tk 7.0 billion. The additional fund will be managed from WBBIP's other packages, as RHD got bidders at lower than the estimated cost.
RHD has already awarded the work of all five packages, and on an average 35 per cent work of the packages are completed.
According to the revised DPP, nine bridges will be upgraded, reconstructed and rehabilitated in Rangpur and Rajshahi regions, and 13 bridges in Khulna, Barishal and Gopalganj regions.
