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PM-EXPRESSWAY-2ND LEAD
PM opens country’s first-ever expressway
(Recasts)
DHAKA, March 12, 2020 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the country’s first-ever expressway on Jatrabari-Mawa- Patchchar-Bhanga route to traffic, opening up a new era in the communication sector on the eve of the Mujib Year.
“This is the country’s first-ever access controlled expressway,” she said opening the newly-constructed the world class expressway under the Dhaka-Khulna Highway Project through a video-conference from her official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.
She said vehicles could go straight to destinations without any interruption as there would be no traffic signal while side lines were constructed along the expressway for low speed vehicles for the movement of people in the neighbourhood.
Sheikh Hasina recalled that in 1981 it required one 24 hours to reach Gopalganj from Dhaka by steamer but the expressway will curtail the travel time significantly smoothening journey as well.
Officials familiar with the project said with the construction of the expressway Dhaka-Gopalganj travel time would take some three hours while after the completion of the Padma Bridge it was expected to be reduced to a little over two hours.
The premier said the expressway would boost the country’s socio-economic development and increase the living standard of the people of the southern region.
She said her government was tirelessly working for the development of communication system since her party assumed office in 1996 as this basic infrastructure is a must for socio-economic development of any country,.
Since Awami League’s return to the power in 2009, Sheikh Hasina said, her government kept a constant focus on the overall development of the roads, railways, waterways and airways.
She said her government was currently constructing the Padma Bridge on one of world’s mightiest rivers with own finance after successfully facing the false corruption allegations involving the project by the World Bank.
The Canadian court in its verdict also said that no corruption was committed in the Padma Bridge project.
“The decision of constructing the Padma Bridge with our own finance has increased our image in the international arena,” she said.
The premier extended her gratitude to army and the people concerned for constructing the expressway and expressed her desire to go to Gopalganj using the expressway by this month.
She said her government constructed 25 bridges in southwestern Khulna, Barishal and Gopalgang and urged all to take care of the bridges while using the structures.
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