Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked the authorities concerned to take up comprehensive measures to prevent accident on roads and railways.
She also called for conducting a countrywide structural survey of rail and road bridges and culverts to find if they need to be repaired. She came up with the directives at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting held at NEC Conference Room in city’s Agargoan area. The premier presided over the meeting.
She has also asked the authorities concerned to conduct immediate survey of the bridges and culvert across the country and indentify and repair the vulnerable ones, following the accident of Dhaka-bound ‘Upaban Express’ train. Planning Minister MA Mannan told reporters about the Prime Minister directives.
At least five people were killed and around 67 injured after an intercity train derailed at Baramchal in Moulvibazar’s Kulaura upazila on Sunday. Meanwhile, the ECNEC on Tuesday approved 10 projects involving Tk 6,967.23 crore. Planning Minister M A Mannan said of the total project cost of Taka 6,967 crore, the government would provide Taka 6,686 crore from the national exchequer while the organizations concerned would contribute Taka 241.52 crore and the remaining Taka 39.58 crore would come as project assistance.
He said 21 metre-gauge diesel-electric locomotives of Bangladesh Railway would be modernized through refurbishment, which would increase their efficiency to offer better services. The locomotives modernization project is due to be implemented by June 2022 at a cost of Taka 242.14 crore. The other projects approved in the meeting are: widening of Bamondanga(Gaibandha)-Shathibari-Aftabganj district highway project (Tk 425.81 crore), widening road and construction of drain and footpath in Gazipur City Corporation (Tk 3,828 crore),
construction of high-rise building on Dhaka officers’ club premises (Tk 228 crore), construction of multi-storied government office building in Manikganj (Tk 95 crore), further development of Bangabandhu national stadium (Tk 98 crore), reconstruction of the rehabilitation centre of destitute children at Kunabari in Gazipur (Tk 81 crore), strengthening efficiency of Dhaka Metropolitan Police for tackling terrorism (Tk 79 crore), greater Faridpur irrigation area development (Tk 200 crore) and upgradation and expansion of power distribution of west zone (Tk 1,687 crore).
