Govt trying hard for road, rail links to Asean nations

Dhaka has proposed a tri-nation committee involving China and Myanmar for implementation of the proposed road and rail links between Bangladesh and China, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday in parliament.
While replying to lawmakers' queries, the premier said she already raised the matter before the Chinese authorities so that Bangladesh, Myanmar and China could work together in a coordinated way for implementation of the road and rail links.
She said her government has actively been trying to link Bangladesh with members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) and China in the interest of the people of this country.
"Effective roads and rail communications will be set up among the Asean countries once the proposed project is implemented," she said. Therefore, political, economic, commercial and cultural relations with China and other south-eastern countries of Asia will be interrelated, she added.
The premier said China has agreed to help implement the project.
She said a project financed by Bangladesh government styled "Study and Design for Bangladesh-Myanmar link road" was underway. The road project will be implemented in two phases, she added.
Under the first phase two kilometres of road will be constructed from Ramu to Gundum inside Bangladesh and 23 kilometres will be constructed between Taungbro and Bolibazar inside Myanmar, Hasina said. This project will be financed by Bangladesh government.
In the second phase, the Myanmar authorities will construct 110 kilometres of road link between Bolibazar and Kyanktow in Myanmar. There is a road link between Kyanktow and Kunming, Hasina said.
She hoped that she would take up the road link project again with the top Myanmar leaders in the near future.