32-km Sylhet road to be upgraded to nat'l highway

The government is going to upgrade Airport-Salutikar-Companiganj-Bholaganj road, one of the battered roads in Sylhet, to a national highway to facilitate the smooth transport of stone and sand.

An agreement was signed between the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and the construction firm at a hotel in the capital yesterday for the upgradation work of the 32-kilometre road at a cost of Tk 442 crore, says a press release of the road transport and bridges ministry.

RHD's Additional Chief Engineer in Sylhet zone Iftekhar Kabir, also the project director, and Khan Mohammad Aftab Uddin, managing director of construction firm Spectra Engineers Ltd, inked the deal on behalf of their respective sides.

The government will bear the cost of the work, and the construction firm will have to complete the work within 34 months as per the deal.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid were present at the signing ceremony.

Highlighting the importance of the road, the finance minister said the road is being used for carrying stone by heavy trucks every day. Therefore, it has to be constructed with due importance, he said.

Muhith stressed the need of completing the upgradation work by 34 months and asked the local representatives to monitor the work to ensure quality, the press release added.

He said the construction firm concerned would be responsible for the maintenance of the road for next three years after completion of the work.

"The government wants to ensure it," he said.