Govt working to improve people’s living standard: PM
Says completion of metro rail will ease capital residents’ suffering
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the aim of her government is to improve the living standards of people and free the country from poverty.
“We’re taking Bangladesh to the trajectory of development through reducing poverty... We have always had one goal -- to develop people’s lifestyle, free them from poverty and make the country economically self-reliant,” she said after opening the second Meghna and second Gumti bridges on Dhaka-Chattogram highway through a videoconference from her official residence Gono Bhaban.
The newly-constructed bridges, she said, will be very helpful for the socioeconomic development of the country, reports UNB.
Hasina said the government is developing roads, rail routes, waterways and air communications, and the people of the country are getting the benefits of the government’s various programmes.
Talking about the construction of Metro Rail to ease the sufferings of people living in Dhaka, the prime minister said once the work is completed, there will be no more sufferings.
She said there will be 16 stations for Metro Rail and it will be possible to carry 60,000 passengers per hour.
Hasina said, the government is getting cooperation from friendly nations, development partners and above all the cooperation of the country’s people for developing the country.
Later, the prime minister spoke to a cross-section of people in Munshiganj, Cumilla, Gazipur and Tangail through videoconference.
On March 16, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Shitalakkhya Bridge (Second Kanchpur Bridge) on the Shitalakkhya River, another bridge of the same project.
Japanese contractors Obayshi Corporation, Shimizu Corporation, JFE Engineer Corporation, and IHI Infra Systems Company Limited started the construction of the second Kanchpur Bridge along with the second Meghna and second Meghna-Gumti bridges on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in January 2016.
The construction works on the new 930-metre Meghna and 1,410-metre Gumti bridges were completed spending Tk 1,750 crore and Tk 1,950 crore respectively.
The prime minister also inaugurated Konabari and Chandra flyovers on the Dhaka-Tangail highway, underpasses at Kaliakoir, Deohata, Mirzapur and Ghainda, and Kodda-1 and Bimail bridges.
PM FOR HIGH-SPEED TOURIST TRAIN ON DHAKA-COX’S BAZAR ROUTE
At a separate programme later in the day also at Gono Bhaban, Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government could introduce a high-speed tourist train on Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route, reports BSS.
“We think we will be able to introduce a high-speed tourist train on Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route as a rail line is being constructed on Chottagram-Cox’s Bazar route,” she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasian said this while launching a new semi-nonstop intercity train service on Dhaka-Panchagarh route, “Panchagarh Express”, through video conferencing.
The train will be a new addition to the existing two intercity trains -- Drutojan Express and Ekota Express -- on the route.
Highlighting various steps of her government for expanding the rail network across the country, the premier said a rail line is being constructed on the Padma Bridge and it will be extended to Barishal.
At the same time, the government has also taken necessary measures to connect the country with regional and Trans-Asian Rail Networks, she added.
The premier asked the authorities concerned to procure more modern passenger coaches and wagons for Bangladesh Railway to meet the growing demands of transportation of passengers and goods.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also directed the railway ministry to arrange necessary training for their manpower to increase professional skills.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Qader, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque were present on the dais.
Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan spoke at the programme from Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam Railway Station in Panchagarh through a videoconference.
Indonesian Ambassador in Dhaka Rina P Soemarno attended the programme.