PM orders construction of concrete roads:Daily Sun

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the ministry concerned to take initiative to construct roads by using concrete from now on to make them last longer. She gave the directive while presiding over a meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday, meeting sources said. “The structure of our roads has to be changed. At the same time, our roads have to be m
ade of concrete. If necessary, we have to build five-kilometer road in place of 50 kilometres,” the premier said. Venting frustration over the sorry state of the country’s roads and highways, she said roads get dilapidated within five years of their construction due to the present road-building technology. Brick chips and bitumen are used in constructing roads and highways in the country on the basis of the present road-making technology. “If roads and highways are constructed with concrete instead of brick chips and bitumen, they will last longer. Sufferings of people will also be eased,” the premier said. Briefing journalists after the ECNEC meeting, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal also confirmed the premier’s directives on constructing roads using concrete. The ministry concerned will now work in line with the premier’s directive, he added. Currently, there are more than 100 cement factories in the country and their production capacity is almost double the country’s total demand for cement. If the premier’s directive is realised, it is expected that local cement factories will be able to utilise their full production capacity. Finance minister AMA Muhith, industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed, agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, post, telecommunications and ICT minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, health and family welfare minister Mohammad Nasim, expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, housing and public works minister Eng Mosharraf Hossain, communications minister Obaidul Quader, water resources minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, shipping minister Shahjahan Khan and state minister for finance and planning MA Mannan, among others, were present at the meeting.