JBIC proposes Tk 2516.30 cr projects for development of Chittagong

A JBIC team submitted an interim report to the government last month (November) in this regard after conducting a pilot study.

The proposed project titled "Multi Sector Infrastructure Development in Chittagong" to be implemented with the financial assistance of Japanese government, sources said.

Preparation is nearing completion to submit the draft final report of the pilot study in January and the final report in February to JBIC and the Bangladesh government, they said.

The study began in September after an agreement signed between JBIC and the Economic Relations Department on August 31.

JBIC took the study since Chittagong city and its surrounding areas with the largest seaport, an accumulation of industrial units and export processing zone are one of the most important areas for private sector development in Bangladesh. But, various infrastructure bottlenecks were preventing the smooth business activities here, said the sources.

JBIC with the help of Chittagong Development Authority conducted the study on roads, bridges, port, water supply, power, telecommunication and environment as the key sectors for infrastructure development in Chittagong, said CDA Chairman Shah Mohammad Akhteruddin.

The JBIC interim report includes three projects for developing roads and bridges involving Tk 1340 crore, two for developing Chittagong port facilities involving Tk 548.30 crore and two for developing power sector in Chittagong at a cost of Tk 628 crore, he said.

The report proposed for construction of 10.75km and expansion of 1.8km of road along the river Karnaphuli stretching from Strand Road to Kalurghat Bridge under "New Karnaphuli Riverside Road and Flood Protection Construction Project" worth Tk 490 crore.

It also proposed a 13.7 km four-lane road stretching from Dhaka Trank Road to Kalurghat bypassing the city in the south, construction of 6.1 km related roads and the 4th bridge on the river Karnaphuli at an estimated cost of Tk 620 crore.

The report also proposed construction of 12.5km coastal road from Patenga to Port Connecting Road and coastal embankment at a cost of Tk 230 crore.

The report proposed construction of an inland waterway container port with a space for 73,000 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEU) of containers over ten hectares of land on the other bank of the Karnaphuli to the opposite of Chittagong Port Jetty No. 7 at a cost of Tk 490 crore.

Construction of Chaktai Waterway Container Terminal with an annual space for 72,000 TEU containers on 5.4 hectares of land at Chaktai near Shah Amanat Bridge at a cost of Tk 58.3 crore was also proposed for developing the port sector.

The report proposes a Tk 560 crore project for installation of new power sub-stations and distribution lines and renovation of old power sub-stations and distribution lines under Greater Chittagong Power Distribution Project Phase-IV.

It also proposed construction of one 150 Mega Watt Gas turbine and one 150 MW steam turbine plant at Shikalbaha side by side with rehabilitation and extension of SCADA at SCADA Control Centre (SCC) at Khulshi at a cost of Tk 68 crore to develop the power sector in the port city, sources said.

During the study the JBIC team held discussion with the representatives of Chittagong Port, Power Development Board, Chittagong City Corporation, Bakharabad Gas System Limited, Chittagong Export Processing Zone, Telephone and Telegraph (T&T) Chittagong Wasa, Bangladesh Railway, Roads and Highway and Department of Environment, they said.