National
ADB Secures $261mn for Rampura Amulia Demra Expressway
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has successfully mobilized $261 million in private sector capital for the Rampura Amulia Demra Expressway, a four-lane, 13.5 km project serving as a public-private partnership (PPP) in Bangladesh. By easing traffic congestion and improving connectivity between Dhaka and other major cities, this initiative promises significant benefits.
Funding for the project comes from a $193 million senior loan provided by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Bank of China, DBS Bank Limited, and Infrastructure Development Company Limited. The remaining $68 million comes from sponsors as equity contributions.
ADB played a crucial role in project structuring, negotiations, tender execution, and provided support for commercial award and financial closure. This expressway will enable quicker access to destinations, benefiting commuters in eastern and southeastern districts of Bangladesh, including Chattogram, Narayanganj, and Sylhet.
The Rampura Amulia Demra PPP project was developed under an availability payment mechanism with partial revenue linked to the US dollar and taka exchange rate movements. ADB’s involvement has paved the way for both availability payment and minimum revenue guarantee mechanisms for future private sector investments in Bangladesh’s infrastructure sector.
As part of their programmatic approach to developing road PPPs, ADB has successfully completed the second financial closure of a PPP transaction as a transaction advisor in Bangladesh. They are currently advising the government on the Joydebpur Mymensingh Expressway PPP project, which will improve connectivity to 10 special economic zones.
The Rampura Amulia Demra Expressway will be managed by a consortium comprising China Communications Construction Company Limited and China Road and Bridge Corporation, handling design, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance during a 25-year concession period.
Catching hilsa, a renowned geographical indication (GI) product of Bangladesh, will be prohibited for 22 days starting from October 12 to November 2, marking the crucial breeding season of the year.
This decision was reached during a meeting held at the Fisheries Department’s conference room in Matsya Bhaban, chaired by Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim.
Throughout the ban period, activities such as procurement, marketing, buying, selling, transportation, stocking, and exchange of hilsa will be restricted nationwide.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received a special honor from Brown University, recognizing her innovative community clinic model, which the United Nations recently acknowledged for expanding healthcare services to the doorstep of Bangladesh’s citizens. Dr. Mukesh K. Jain, Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, presented the citation to the Prime Minister at The Lotte New York Hotel, her residence.
The citation commends Sheikh Hasina for her “Sheikh Hasina Initiative,” highlighting its success as a model of Community-based Primary Health Care, emphasizing primary healthcare, women’s empowerment, and community engagement as integral components of achieving universal health coverage.
During their meeting, Dr. Jain and the Prime Minister discussed the potential Bangladesh-Brown Biomedical Research and Education Initiative, which could facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise in public health and research. Sheikh Hasina expressed her support for this initiative and underscored the importance of enhancing medical and clinical research in Bangladesh.
The Brown University has been actively involved in cervical cancer screening in various regions of Bangladesh. Dr. Jain also proposed the implementation of electronic data management systems in community clinics to maintain patient records efficiently.
Furthermore, Brown University expressed its intent to establish a formal partnership with Bangladesh for collaborative research and educational endeavors.
Dhaka’s eagerly awaited Agargaon-Motijheel segment of the Dhaka Metro Rail is scheduled to be inaugurated on October 20, 2023, by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as announced by Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
This significant milestone will see the opening of three crucial metro stations: Farmgate, Secretariat, and Motijheel. Together with the existing stations on the route—Bijoy Sarani, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh, TSC, and Press Club—the metro line will offer commuters a swift and efficient journey from Agargaon to Motijheel. The entire route can be traversed in just 38 minutes, a remarkable achievement for Dhaka’s bustling metropolis.
Initially, the service will deploy five trains running from Agargaon to Motijheel at 15-minute intervals, with plans for future expansion. The newly introduced trains will be numbered, simplifying identification for passengers heading to their preferred destination.
To ensure the system’s safety and efficiency, a three-step testing process has been undertaken, including proficiency tests, system integration tests, and trial runs, all set to be completed well before the inauguration.
Operating hours for the Dhaka Metro Rail will initially be from 7 am to 10 pm, with the possibility of extension to 11:30 pm once the entire system is fully operational.
The Dhaka Metro Rail project, the country’s first of its kind, is valued at Tk 33,472 crore, with significant financial support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Government of Bangladesh. While the initial estimated cost was Tk 21,000 crore, the increase is attributed to project extensions, land acquisition for stations, and additional facilities.
Construction for this transformative project commenced in 2017, with an expected completion date of December 2025.
This inauguration follows the formal launch of the Uttara-Agargaon section of the MRT-6 line in December last year, with all nine stations on this route now fully operational.
