Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the authorities concerned to take plans of development projects in such a way that one becomes complementary to another.
“Once plans (of development projects) are taken, they should be integrated and complementary to each other,” she while witnessing a power-point presentation on the realignment of the Hatirjheel part of Sonargaon-BUET Link of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway under the PPP Project at the Prime Minister’s Office here.
After witnessing the presentation, the premier gave her consent to the newly designed alignment of the Dhaka Expressway which will connect Palashi via Kataban beside the south side of BIAM (Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management) building through the periphery of the Hatirjheel lake.
She added: “This is ok. You can implement it (the proposal of realignment of Hatirjheel part of Sonargaon-BUET Link of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway).
The Link will benefit dwellers in old Dhaka city and Dhanmondhi as it was estimated that some 20 percent of traffic vehicles enter through the link.
In the earlier proposal, the alignment of the link was proposed through the middle of the Hatirjheel Lake and the Panthakunja. But, the premier asked the authorities to redesign the proposal protecting the lake and panthakunja.
In this context, the premier said that once there was a big jheel (water body) at Motijheel, but Pakistani ruler Ayub Khan had destroyed it.
She also asked the authorities concerned to take development plans by protecting the water bodies particularly the ponds.
Noting that the Dhaka city is being developed in an unplanned way, the premier said, “But, we are giving all the facilities of the city to the villages. So, the migration of the village people towards the capital city has been decreasing.”
Criticising the mentality of the government officials to stay in the city, the premier said, “The government officers now want to stay in the city. Once they are transferred, the officers go to their workstations keeping their families in city.”
In this regard, she said the schools, colleges and other organisations of the districts had earlier witnessed developments, as the ministers, lawmakers and government officers stayed in the districts.
Bitterly criticising the mentality of the people to violate the traffic rules, she called upon all to follow the traffic rules.
“People are crossing the roads though there are the foot-over bridges and underpasses while the passersby and the drivers also do not follow the rule of zebra crossing,” she continued.
The 46.73-kilometer (in total) Dhaka Expressway project is being constructed at a cost of Tk 8,940.18 crore under the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The implementation progress of the first phase work is 55 percent, while the overall progress of the project work is 18 percent.
The project is being implemented in three phases on Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari-Dhaka Chattogram Highway (Kutubkhali) route.
Communication expert and BUET teacher Prof. Md Shamsul Hoque gave the presentation on the re-alignment of the Hatirjheel part of Sonargaon-BUET Link of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.
Convenor of the project expert committee of Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury and its member architect Iqbal Habib made their contribution to the presentation.
PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office Zuena Aziz, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, PMO Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Bridges Division Secretary Mohammed Belayet Hossain were present.
Earlier, the premier witnessed another presentation on the amended plan of the buildings under Joyeeta Tower Construction Project at her office.
The prime minister gave necessary directives after the presentation.
Among others, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, Secretary of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Kazi Rowshan Akhter were present. Managing Director of Joyeeta Foundation Afroja Khan made the presentation.
