The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges will construct border roads in the Chittagong Hill Tracts districts and three approach roads to connect the border road at a cost of Taka 3,399 crore and 85 lakh.The border road in the Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts will help curbing terrorism, drug trade, illegal arms flow and control the dens of miscreants that spread its network over the remote India and Myanmar bordering areas.
Bangladesh has a total of 530 square kilometer-long bordering areas with India and Myanmar totally unprotected since the emergence of the country in 1971.The border road will connect six upazilas of these three districts, sources in the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges sources said adding that 317-kilometer road within the three districts will be constructed under the direct supervision of the ministry and the Special Works Organization of the Bangladesh Army.
After verification and feasibility studies of the Development Project Profile (DPP) of the border road and approach roads, a meeting of the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) was held with the Chief Engineer of the Roads and Highways on December last year. The meeting rectified and restructured the DPP following some objections made by the technical experts of the ministry, the sources said adding that the proposal for the border road will be places in the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
About 13,295 square kilometers of bordering areas are underdeveloped, water levels of the regions are very lower than the plain land, road is not up to the mark. Political unrest was very crucial over the years in those areas as some dens of the militant-cum-terrorist agents are there for many years, the sources said. The border areas of the Hill Tracts with India and Myanmar are 330 and 210 square kilometers respectively.
Considering the importance of the border road in Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges sent a proposal to the Ministry of Planning for construction of the road. As per the Project Profile, the 317 kilometers border road will be constructed in Naikhangchhari upazila under Bandarban district, in Juraichhari, Barkol and Rajashthali upzilas under Rangamati district and Baghaichhari upazila under Khagrachhari district. The cost of the road is Taka 1,700 crore, the sources said.
Besides, 40-kilometer Ukhiya-Ashartoli and Fultoli road, 52-kilometer-long Sajek-Shiladah-Batoling road, 95-km-long Sajek-Dokhanghat-Theaghamukh road and 130-km Theaghamukh-Laitongpara-Thachchi-Dhumdumia-Rajashthali road will also be constructed at a cost of Taka 1,699 crore and 85 lakh for linking the border road network.
All the roads will be completed within June, 2021, the ministry sources said adding that the border road network will ensure the security of the inhabitants of the locality.The sources in the ministry told The Asian Age that at present the illegal arms flow and drug trade have established a reign of terror in the locality of the bordering areas.
After the completion of the border road project, center-periphery relation will be tightened creating a good number of jobs and employments. It will help spreading trade and commerce of the South-East Asia increasing tourism industry there. It will also help stop human trafficking and other sorts of illegal trades.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Kader told The Asian Age that Chittagong Hill Tracts has huge potentialities and it covers one-tenth of the country. The border road in the hilly areas will help develop the national economy and stop chaotic situation prevailing there.
-Tapan Khan, AA
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