This was disclosed yesterday at a meeting between ADB and the government at the conference room of the Ministry of Communications. Communications Minister Nazmul Huda led the Bangladesh side while the ADB side was represented by its newly appointed Country Director, Hua Du.

Huda told the ADB delegation that the draft of the railway corporatisation policy is at the final stage. It might not be possible to give full autonomy to the railway operation department during the tenure of this government but autonomy of some operational activities might be possible, he said, according to meeting sources.

The ADB observed that the railway could be corporatised, keeping it under full control of the government.

The ADB delegation told the government that they would play a strong role in financial support, along with other international donors like the World Bank (WB) and Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC), in the construction of the Padma bridge at Mawa point.

They expressed satisfaction over the government's plan to construct a rail line along with the bridge. ADB assured the government of technical support in setting rail lines.

It observed that the rail line along the Padma bridge would connect the south eastern and south western rail tracks in the country. The ADB would also consider providing financial help in widening the Dhaka-Chittagong highway from the existing double lanes to four lanes.

Nazmul Huda sought financial assistance from ADB for implementing an underground metro rail system in Dhaka city as well as a Dhaka-Chittagong electric train service.

The government would make public its interest in an electric train service within this month, he informed the ADB delegation.

Responding to the minister's request, the ADB representatives said the ADB is preparing a five-year-long plan of action for providing development support in the transport sector of Bangladesh.

The financial assistance would be considered under this long-term plan, they said.

The ADB also stressed the need for a direct road link between Dhaka and Yangon.

The government side said that Bangladesh has already taken an initiative to construct a 20-kilometre road with its own funds for a direct road link.

The ADB can provide assistance for completion of the project, the meeting observed.

The ADB also expressed its willingness to provide 200 CNG buses to state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC).

The meeting was told that a high powered ADB mission would arrive in Dhaka in the first half of this month for a detailed discussion of ADB assistance to Bangladesh.