The government plans a to launch a project for the development of rural infrastructure in Gazipur for providing additional benefits to the rural population and improving their standard of living.
Besides, there is also possible plans to build two growth centers under the project, which may play a positive role in boosting the rural economy and trade, experts said.
Such initiative is expected to help the farmers to easily sell and market their products and get a fair price for the crops they grow, they said adding that this will increase the income of the people and create employment opportunities which would apparently contribute to alleviating poverty.
Officials said that Gazipur district is considered as the gateway for road connectivity between Dhaka and North Bengal.
It is essential to develop the main road communications and connecting roads in different parts of the district, they said adding that, the district is also one of the most important districts in the country in the industrial sector.
A large part of the country's revenue comes from the industrial and tourist areas of the district, they mentioned. As a result, it is important to improve road connectivity in this district, they added.
The project titled “Development of Gazipur District Rural Infrastructure” has been undertaken at the cost of Tk 685 crore.
The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives will implement the project. If the project can be implemented, 286.86 km rural roads of the district will be paved.
A Planning Commission official said the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting was held on 20 December 2020 after receiving the project proposal.
Some recommendations were made at that meeting, he mentioned. The Development Project Proposal (DPP) has been restructured by implementing them, he added.
It is now ready to place the document in next meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), he said.
Once approved, the project will be implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) between this year and December 2024, he mentioned.
An official of The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives said if the project implemented, it would establish easy and uninterrupted communication in the project areas, facilitate marketing of industrial products and create commercial opportunities and employment opportunities for the rural people.
This facility will also play a role in the transportation of exportable goods in the future, he said adding that, the project has been proposed as many rural roads in the district are yet to be developed.
According to the Planning Commission, the total number of registered rural roads in Gazipur is 6,798.31 km.
Of these, 4,396.1 km roads are unpaved. Under the project, 6.53 percent of the roads will be paved. The people concerned are hoping that this will lead to the development of rural communication system.
Under the main activities of this project, 65.74 km upazila road development, 91.03 km union road development and 287.12 km rural road development will be done.
All the roads will be widened at the same time. Besides, 215 meter bridge will also be constructed on rural roads. The Growth Center Market will also be developed under the project.
The Planning Commission thinks that the cost of transportation can be reduced by developing and widening roads that are conducive to the movement of heavy vehicles in the industrial areas. Transportation facilities for rural people in villages, markets, health centers, educational institutions and other service providers will increase.
