The sitting government is making swift and sound moves to shore up the country’s infrastructure. It now seems like the government has been able to attract private foreign investment to help pay for the infrastructure construction.
The Communications Minister, Syed Abul Hossain has communicated to his fellow parliamentarians that up to nine foreign firms are interested in the governments plan to construct an elevated expressway in the capital city, Dhaka.
The government has a tall order in the works. Along with new rail tracks that connect Khulna and Mongla port, an elevated roadway between some part of the distance between Dhaka and Chittagong, the government is going ahead with plans to build four lane bridges across the Meghna and Gomti rivers. The government intends to complete a significant portion of this work within its current tenure in power.
It’ll be interesting to find out the names of these nine firms. Perhaps, more important might be the revelation of where these firms are incorporated.
Already Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has pointed to China as a principal source of development funding and investment.
Sheikh Hasina’s is embarking on her first state visit to China since assuming office. Upon Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s invitation, she has scheduled a five day trip. The Daily Star reports on all that she hopes to negotiate from China.
“The projects include construction of Second Padma Bridge at an estimated cost of $579 million, Karnaphuli Tunnel at a cost of $289 million, single line metre-gauge railway track from Chittagong to Gundum near Myanmar border at a cost of $210 million, Second Meghna-Gomti Bridge at a cost of $125 million, a railway bridge with a dual-gauge double track over the river Jamuna at a cost of $172 million and Kazirtek Bridge over Arialkha river at an estimated cost of $22 million.”