Ensure quality of road work, bitumen used in construction: PM

GBNEWS24 DESK//

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed the ministries concerned to ensure the quality of road work, quality of bitumen used in road construction and maintenance so that water could not remain for long time on roads. She gave the directives while presiding over the 15th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY21) and the 48th ECNEC meeting of the current government. The meeting was held virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence. Ministers, state ministers and secretaries concerned joined the meeting from the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. The ECNEC meeting approved a Tk 5,905.59 crore project to conserve the rural road network system by rehabilitating the roads, bridges and culverts affected due to cyclone Amphan, excessive rain and the recent flood. Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Senior Secretary of the Planning Division Md Asadul Islam said the ECNEC meeting approved a total of five projects involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 7,505.29 crore. Revealing the details of the project, Planning Commission member Md Zakir Hossain Akand said the the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Local Government Division will implement the project titled “Rehabilitation of rural road infrastructures affected due to cyclone Amphan and Flood” with an estimated cost of Tk 5,905.59 crore with entire government fund by December 2023. He said, “The project will be implemented at 355 upazilas in 55 districts of the country.” Zakir said the project has been formulated to rehabilitate the affected rural roads, culverts and bridges. The project area covers cyclone Amphan affected 69 upazilas under 14 districts of Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Dhaka Divisions, flood affected 182 upazilas under 28 districts of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions.