ZCZC
BSS-36
KOICA-BANGLADESH-MEETING
Project kickoff meeting held to promote effective road management system
DHAKA, April 8, 2021 (BSS) – Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Bangladesh organized a kickoff meeting today for the project titled “Improving the reliability and safety on National Highway Corridors of Bangladesh by Introduction of ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems” which will reduce time and accidents for much-needed improved road conditions in the country.
The meeting was held through virtual platform zoom due to COVID-19 pandemic.
KOICA selected Project Management Consulting (PMC) team organized in 5-company-joint-supply-structure of ‘Korea Expressway Corporation and Korea Transport Institute along with Soosung Engineering, S-traffic’ and Winitech’ also joined in this meeting from South Korea, said a press release.
The objectives of the meeting were to share the overall project aims like make road transport infrastructure of Bangladesh more safe, reliable, and sustainable; use ICT for better, efficient and effective traffic management; enhance the institutional capacity of RHD for road and traffic management and discuss the statement of work, project scope, timeline, deliverables in the project and future implementation plans with the Roads and Highways Department (RHD).
KOICA will support a budget of $8.9 million from 2020 to 2023 for establishment of ITS master plan, architecture and standard, implementation of pilot project, capacity building of RHD, RTHD and other relevant organizations of Bangladesh.
Md. Nazrul Islam, Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division, and Md. Abdus Safur, Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department, shared their informative speech and requested for forging close partnership with KOICA.
The Secretary mentioned that The Road Transport & Highways Division has been working relentlessly to achieve the targets of Vision-2021, UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and the goal of 2041.
Nazrul also mentioned that this is a dream project for Bangladesh as ITS would be implemented for the very first time.
He also requested to prepare Time-bound Action Plan to achieve the project goal and expressed his deep gratitude to KOICA for the ITS project.
Young-Ah Doh, County Director of KOICA, mentioned, “Transportation sector is one of Korea’s development priority areas for Bangladesh. Through this comprehensive support from Republic of Korea, it is believed that Bangladesh can develop Road and Safety Masterplan along with establishment of effective road management system which will reduce time and accidents for much-needed improved road conditions in the country.”
BSS/PR/GM/ARS/1920 hrs