China to construct almost 73 per cent of the 151 km Bangladesh-Myanmar Friendship Road  China has agreed to bear the construction cost of a large part of the trans-international highway connecting the port city Chittagong with the Chinese growing business hub Kunming through Myanmar, communication ministry officials said Sunday. The positive response by China to construct almost 73 per cent of the 151 km Bangladesh-Myanmar Friendship Road came during a recent visit by Chief Adviser to the caretaker government Fakhruddin Ahmed to that country. The Chinese assurance thus removes the doubt over the funding of construction work of the highway linking Bawli Bazar with Kyauktaw inside Myanmar, officials said while referring to the first bilateral tour by the present caretaker administration chief to any country. The construction cost of the 110 km of the highway that China has agreed to bear is estimated at US$ 128 million. Bangladesh signed a deal with Myanmar in 2006 to construct a tans-international highway in two phases. The country will bear the construction cost of 43 km-20km inside its own territory and 23km inside Myanmar-- in the first phase. The military ruled Myanmar has long been showing reluctance to bear the construction cost of the remaining portion of the highway under the second phase. Communication secretary Mahbubur Rahman, however, told the FE Sunday that they were yet to get an official version from the foreign ministry."The positive response from China will be most welcomed," he said. The Chinese response will lend the much needed boost to the efforts for the construction of the trans-international highway as the country has long been trying to construct it to establish direct road link with Myanmar, China and other Southeast and East Asian countries, he said. A senior official said the foreign ministry is expected to inform the communication ministry about outcome and developments of the CA's visit to China. He said the foreign ministry has already 'unofficially' informed the communication ministry about the issue which is considered very important in the context of the scheduled visit of a Myanmar vice-general to the capital next month. Myanmar's Vice-Senior General Maung Aye will lead nearly 50-member team to discuss various issues, including the latest developments relating to the friendship highway. Communication ministry is now processing the tender documents for the construction of the first phase of the highway costing around $27 million. The officials concerned said the road will boost regional cooperation by strengthening economic and trade relations between Bangladesh and other the South and Southeast Asian countries. |
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