The speed of vehicles on the expressway will be 60 km per hour



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the much-awaited Elevated Expressway Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Farmgate section for traffic on Saturday (September 2).

Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project Director AHMS Akhter said, "The Prime Minister will inaugurate the expressway today at 3:30 pm in a ceremony organized at the old trade fair ground in Shere-bangla Nagar."

The Airport-Farmgate section will be opened for traffic the day after the inauguration, the official said.

He said, the length of this part is about 11.5 kilometers. There are 15 ramps for boarding. Among them, two ramps at Banani and Mohakhali will remain closed for the time being. The maximum speed limit for vehicles on the expressway will be 60 km per hour.

Three wheelers, bicycles and pedestrians will not be allowed to ply on the expressway. The motorbike cannot run now.

Earlier, the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges fixed the toll rate of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Farmgate section of Dhaka Elevated Expressway from Tk. 80 to Tk. 400.

Cars, taxis, jeeps, sports utility vehicles, microbuses (below 16 seats) and light trucks (below 3 tonnes) toll rate Tk. 80 for crossing the Airport-Farmgate section from any point under category 1.

Toll rate for medium trucks (up to six wheelers) for crossing the route from any point is Tk.320 under Category-2.

The toll rate for trucks (more than six wheelers) for crossing the route from any point under category 3 is Tk. 400. Toll rate for any bus (16 seater or above) under category-4 is Tk.160 for crossing the route from any point.

The total length of elevated expressway from Kaola, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Syedabad, Jatrabari to Qutubkhali on Dhaka-Chittagong highway is 46.73 km.

Initially, the speed limit on the expressway will be 60 kmph and it will take 10 minutes for vehicles to cover the distance of 11 km from HSIA to Farmgate.

With 11.5 km of mainline and 11 km of ramps, the length of the section will be 22.5 km. Initially 13 out of 15 ramps of this section will be opened. Ramps at Banani and Mohakhali will be opened only after completion of construction.

The total cost of the project is estimated at Tk. 8,940 crore, of which the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) fund is Tk. 2,413 crore, which will be provided by the Government of Bangladesh.

First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) Company Limited is an investment company. It includes Italian Thai Development Public Company Limited with a 51 percent stake, China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group (CSI) with a 34 percent stake and Sinohydro Corporation Limited with a 15 percent stake.

As per the project, the first contract was signed on January 19, 2011 and the review contract was signed on December 15, 2013 and the project completion period was from July 2011 to June 2024.

The construction work of the second phase from Banani Railway Station to Moghbazar Rail Crossing is progressing rapidly.

Several infrastructure projects have started in Bangladesh in the last 15 years. Considering the size, budget and economic impact, many of these projects have been called mega-projects.

The government has identified some of them as fast track projects. Among these, Padma multipurpose bridge, Bangladesh's first metro rail project MRT Line-6 and Chandra-Elenga four-lane highway have been completed.

The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, South Asia's first and longest underwater road tunnel, is expected to be opened for traffic soon.

Other Projects - Padma Bridge Rail Link, Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Rail Link, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Matarbari 1200 MW Coal Based Power Plant, Payra Deep Sea Port, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Railway Bridge over Jamuna River. The economic growth of the country and therefore the main focus of the government is now to complete them on time.

After coming to power in 2009, the Awami League government undertook several monumental development projects aimed at transforming the country's communication, transport and power infrastructure.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government partially launched the modern transport system Dhaka Metrorail and inaugurated other mega projects including the Padma multipurpose bridge.

Three doctors are absent for a long time causing sufferings to the patients



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Pic: Barta24.com

Pic: Barta24.com

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The government has taken various initiatives to ensure the presence of doctors and officials in government hospitals. However, a different picture is seen in Barishal's 50- bed Agailjhara Upazila Health Complex. Three doctors of the hospital have been absent for a long time. As a result, patients have to suffer due to lack of proper healthcare.

Allegedly, medical services at the hospital have come to a standstill due to lack of strict supervision. Therefore, many patients are forced to seek treatment in private hospitals.

According to hospital sources, Dr. Abu Bakar Siddique joined Agailjhara Upazila Health Complex as Medical Officer on July 1, 2011. He has been absent since January 4, 2012 after staying at the hospital for just five months. Similarly, Dr. Soma Halder joined the health complex on October 8, 2014. She has also been absent since November 5, 2015, after serving for one year.

Sources also said that Dr. Shahana Rahman joined the hospital on November 25, 2023. She has not been coming to the hospital for the past 8 months.

Although the three mentioned doctors are absent for a long time, no appointments are being made in their place. As a result, patient services are constantly disrupted. Besides, the hospital authorities are also in trouble.

A responsible source of the hospital, on condition of anonymity, said that this alarming situation has arisen due to the non-punishment of those who are negligent in fulfilling their duties. Also there is a lack of strong supervision.

Upazila Health Officer Dr. Bakhtiar Al Mamun said that Dr. Abu Bakr Siddiq and Dr. Soma Halder have been given letters to join the workplace several times. But they are still not back to work. A departmental case is ongoing against them. In addition, Dr. Shahana Rahman has been given several letters to join the work. The Civil Surgeon's office has also been informed about the matter.

He also said that the information of doctors is sent to higher authorities and ministries every month. As such, the ministry is aware of the matter. According to the latest information, one doctor may be out of a job. Of the remaining two, one is abroad, the other I don't know where. Regarding the appointment of doctors, he said, appointment is not possible until the posts are vacant. As a result, it will take time to find a new doctor.

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Three coordinators in DB for interrogation



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Pic: Collected

Pic: Collected

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Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has taken three people, including Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, into custody from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in the capital. The other two coordinators are Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Majumdar.

A DB source confirmed this information on Friday (July 26) night.

DB said three coordinators have been brought to the DB office for security and interrogation purposes.

All three of them are students of Dhaka University.

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What the Home Minister said about lifting of the curfew



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Pic: Collected

Pic: Collected

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Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, everyone has to wait a little with the curfew till public life becomes normal. We are looking at whether the curfew can be relaxed.

He said these things while talking to reporters about the ongoing situation on Friday (July 26) night.

The Home Minister said, we are seeing if the curfew can be relaxed. Police BGB, Army are working. We have to wait a little until public life becomes normal. People should be patient. He also said that a decision may be made subject to discussion on Saturday (July 27).

At that time, he mentioned that there were brutal killings in the name of the movement, and he said, who will take responsibility for this loss of the country? BNP said they are not involved in violence. So who did it? It is a question of the people.

Regarding the arrest of the quota activists, the Home Minister said that the quota agitator leaders themselves are suffering from insecurity. For their safety, law enforcement has been called. Further action will be taken after the inquiry.

Incidentally, the government clamped a curfew from 12 midnight on July 19 to keep the situation normal around the quota reform movement. The army was also deployed.

The curfew was later relaxed for a specified period but has not yet been lifted completely.

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Government to provide treatment & income to all injured: Prime Minister



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Photo: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the government will provide treatment and income to all those injured in the recent violence, regardless of party affiliation.

She said this while visiting the injured at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Friday (July 26). Meanwhile, she inquired about the physical condition of the injured.

Sheikh Hasina said that the government will do whatever is necessary for the treatment of those injured in the violence. The government will take responsibility for the treatment of the injured, whichever party they belong to.

She also said, even after accepting all the demands on the quota, why is the movement not ending? Everyone at home and abroad should be vocal against the violence and brutality of BNP-Jamaat.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister visited several wards of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and inquired about the injured. She talked to doctors and nurses. She ordered to give all kinds of treatment to the injured.

Earlier in the morning, the head of government visited the Bangladesh Television (BTV) building damaged by vandals' attack and fire at Rampura in the capital.

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