Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the construction work of Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway will begin in December this year.
Commercial agreement of this project was signed earlier while the loan deal will also be signed soon, he said.
He made the announcement at Setu Bhaban in the city after signing an agreement for design review and supervision of the elevated expressway.
The state-run Bangladesh Bridge Authority signed the contract for Tk 3.4 billion with a joint venture company for design review and supervision of the construction of the elevated expressway project.
The joint venture comprises of three companies from TYPSA of Spain, DOHWA of South Korea and DDC of Bangladesh.
Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority Kazi Md Ferdous and Managing Director of TYPSA Antonio Rodrigueze Castellanos signed the contract on behalf of the bridge authority and joint venture company respectively.
In 2017, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) gave the approval for the Tk 16.90 billion project for building the 24-kilometre elevated expressway.
China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) is financing 65 per cent the project.
According to the project document, work on the project will begin this year and complete by June 2022. Once completed, the expressway will connect Hazrat Shahjahal International Airport to Abdullahpur, Ashulia, DEPZ and Chandra on the North Bengal Highway.
It will be an extension of the 26-kilometre Dhaka elevated expressway linking the airport to the Dhaka-Chittagong highway near Shanir Akhra.
Talking with reporters, Mr Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, spoke on the recent rumour about the Padma Bridge construction work.
He said the opposition is spreading rumour after failing to win election and launch movement.
He also said the government will find out the perpetrators and nab them.
Mr Quader also said some 2,100 meters of the bridge are visible now.
