Bangladesh Economy: News & Updates

[UKBengali]

BD needs to control it's population. Its already in top 10 most congested countries. Infrastructure cannot improve if population gets so out of control in such a limited area.

BD population growth is now only 1% a year.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

One thing I really like here is our 6 lane motorways connecting cities . Makes driving really fun . Recently went from Peshawer to Lahore . That's 520 KM , and covered it in no time . Bangladeshi's problem with 4 or 6 lane is its population density or maybe just the lack of will of the government to make them .

It is more about lack of will then population density.From what I have gathered information,actually land acquization is not the biggest cost factor,it is the associated infrastructure development.The most costly 53km Dhaka-Mawa road requires only 25 hectares land acquization.The mentioned 3 highways in this thread are associated with buildind large number of big bridge, culverts, flyover,connecting roads and bypass.Another factor is high taxation of imported matarials.Just highway construction is not much more costly then international norm.Recently concluded Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensing 4 lane was bullt with reasonable price.280 km with around 700 million dollar.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

12:00 AM, June 22, 2015 / LAST MODIFIED: 02:20 AM, June 22, 2015
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/govt-prioritises-seven-road-projects-100906
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday told parliament that the government had prioritised seven road projects after the signing of the motor vehicles agreement for establishing road connectivity among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.

The projects are expansion of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and constructions of the Padma Bridge and its immediate approach roads, new four-lane Kanchpur, Meghna and Gumti bridges, four-lane road between Benapole and the proposed Padma Bridge-2, four-lane Joydevpur-Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur-Burimari/Banglabandha highway, four-lane Dhaka (Kanchpur)-Narsingdi-Sarail-Sylhet-Tamabil highway, and four-lane Baraierhat-Heako-Ramgarh highway.

The minister said, “...a unique road network would be established among the four countries, which would infuse a new dynamism in the economy of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal and create a new dimension in relationships among these countries.” He said private, passenger and cargo vehicles would move between the four countries almost like Europe. The agreement, signed on June 15, is a milestone on communication diplomacy in strengthening sub-regional harmony and solidarity, he added.

The minister said construction of the Padma Bridge was going on in full swing and the piling work would start in October.

He also said construction of the proposed metro rail in the capital would start in February 2016, while an agreement for construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River would be signed late this month with a company nominated by China.

 

[bluesky]

Bangladeshi's problem with 4 or 6 lane is its population density or maybe just the lack of will of the government to make them .

We have 6 or 8-lane roads only in some places of Dhaka City. But, there is no 6-lane roads that connect the District towns.

 

[Khan_21]

We have 6 or 8-lane roads only in some places of Dhaka City. But, there is no 6-lane roads that connect the District towns.

That's what am talking about . Bangladesh lacks in infrastructure then rest of south asia by some margin . Hope they rectify this . We have around 1000-1200 km of 6 lane highways connecting cities now and that is only going to extend when it extends till Karachi in next 2 years . I have seen pictures of Dhaka and it seems bogged down in a sea of traffic . One thing more Bangladesh needs to do that Pakistan and India have done successfully is give importance and develop other cities as well . In Bangladesh every development is done in Dhaka . Dhaka has a very limited area and a burden of 20 million people . In Pakistan Karachi is the business and economic heart , Lahore is the cultural heart , Islamabad is the planned capital ,and Faisalabad is its industrial center . In BD everything from A- Z is in Dhaka. It creates alot of load and burden on a single city especially for a city with such a small size .

 

[Homo Sapiens]

We have around 1000-1200 km of 6 lane highways connecting cities now and that is only going to extend when it extends till Karachi in next 2 years .

I must admit,Pakistan have impressive road infrastructure.Most provably the best in south Asia.I very much like the Lahore ring road.I actually astonished to see this video on Lahore Ring road.Very modern,spacious,and beautiful.

Which part of Lahore it is in this video?Beautiful suburb.

 

[Khan_21]

I must admit,Pakistan have impressive road infrastructure.Most provably the best in south Asia.I very much like the Lahore ring road.I actually astonished to see this video on Lahore Ring road.Very modern,spacious,and beautiful.

Which part of Lahore it is in this video?Beautiful suburb.

Our great Road network is thanks in part to Nawaz Sharif's Obsession with Highways and Infrastructure . Lahore and Islamabad have the best Road network . Lahore Is slowly becoming the most developed city in Pakistan . It has great roads because its home to the Sharif's and vast sum of money is spent on renovating and making Lahore more beautiful and Modern . The ring road is an 80 km long network of highways connecting numerous places to the main M-2 highway . This particular place is Defence housing society . Lahore has alot of these posh areas and housing societies .

Check out these

Gulberg Lahore

Mall Road Lahore

Exiting Lahore Airport .

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Our great Road network is thanks in part to Nawaz Sharif's Obsession with Highways and Infrastructure .

If only SHW had this obsession instead of put down BNP and Khaleda.

. The ring road is an 80 km long network of highways connecting numerous places to the main M-5 highway .

How much it costed?This type of world class expressway requires a lot of money.

 

[Khan_21]

If only SHW had this obsession instead of put down BNP and Khaleda.

How much it costed?This type of world class expressway requires a lot of money.

It cost around 150-200 billion PKR according to one website . Punjab Government has alot of funds so they can manage it . Even Murree a hill station 8500 feet above sea level has an extensive highway from Islamabad . We have to do alot of cutting from mountains to build these wide roads. you won't find much better roads at high altitudes like 7000-8000 feet .

 

[Homo Sapiens]

It cost around 150-200 billion PKR according to one website

So per Km costed more than 2 billion PKR.May be high land acquisition cost within city pushed up price?

Even Murree a hill station 8500 feet above sea level has an extensive highway from Islamabad . We have to do alot of cutting from mountains to build these wide roads. you won't find much better roads at high altitudes like 7000-8000 feet

These pics are stunning.Perfect combination of nature and modern infrastructure.

 

[TopCat]

Looks like these roads are severely under utilized. For a country like Pakistan I thought those money could had been better utilized in Health and Education. 2 lanes road should be more than enough on top of a mountain.

 

[Nabil365]

In Singapore most of the medicines recommended by neurologists for disorder of nervous system are actually made in Bangladesh.

 

[Bilal9]

BD population growth is now only 1% a year.

Bangladesh population history
Year Population Growth Rate
2015 160 036 578 1.21 %
2016 161 957 017 1.20 %

Population of Pakistan
Year Population Yearly % Change
2016 192,826,502 2.07 %
2015 188,924,874 2.13 %

Pakistan is growing twice as fast as Bangladesh.

But it also has five times the square mile area hence you can build wide freeways (while arable land is much less than Bangladesh percentage-wise 40% in Pakistan vs. 70% in Bangladesh). We grow a lot of things and export them to Pakistan too which you can't grow, such as tea, paan, pineapple, bananas and tons of things that aren't found in quantity in Pakistan. We're a happy bunch...with what little we have.

If people are living and making a living somewhere - its tough to displace them. Watch this 6 hour long video in 4K to see how people have taken over railway land. Authorities allow it and take an 'easy going' approach.

It is true we haven't spent money (yet) to get shaan-dar six lane highways, there are other pressing priorities like bridging rivers and producing electricity for development. Which option would one rather have considering our predicament?

After all - you cannot really discount a people who can fight climate change in so many myriad ways.

All in good time I guess....

 

[UKBengali]

@Bilal9 :

Tell you the truth does BD really need 6 lane highways apart from the Dhaka-Chittagong route?
BD is a very densely populated country and the government should be actively encouraging as
many goods and people to be moved around on the railways and waterways. This is what I think
it is trying to do with the 30 billion US dollar plan to upgrade and modernise the railway system
by 2030. The current upgrade that is taking place to turn all the 2 lane highways connecting major
towns and cities to 4 lane should be sufficient.

 

[Bilal9]

@Bilal9 :

Tell you the truth does BD really need 6 lane highways apart from the Dhaka-Chittagong route?
BD is a very densely populated country and the government should be actively encouraging as
many goods and people to be moved around on the railways and waterways. This is what I think
it is trying to do with the 30 billion US dollar plan to upgrade and modernise the railway system
by 2030. The current upgrade that is taking placling to turn all the 2 lane highways connecting major
towns and cities to 4 lane should be sufficient.

Yes I'd agree with that assessment. Even in US most highways are not six lanes end-to-end. It is required only near cities where traffic is heavier (sometimes 8-10 lanes altogether). This should be the same in Bangladesh.

If six lane highways go for all of 300 miles between cities in third world countries then it is done mostly to steal money in corrupt schemes. For Pakistan these highways are great if they like them, but we have better things to spend our money on such as education, health and sanitation so we improve on our human capital.

Our human capital today is better than all other subcontinental countries other than Sri Lanka and I'd like to keep it that way. We've got more girls than boys in school and the life expectancy in Bangladesh is higher than others too.