"…a development work should be complementary to each other," the Prime Minister said.

She was witnessing a power-point presentation on Hatirjheel part realignment of Sonargaon-Buet Link under Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP Project at the Prime Minister’s Office here.

The Prime Minister gave her consent to the new alignment of the Sonargaon-Buet Link under Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP Project witnessing the presentation.

She also gave some other directives over the construction of nearly 20-kilometre main expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Dhaka-Chattogram Highway (Kutubkhali) via Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari.

The residents of Old Dhaka and Dhanmondhi will be benefited from the link road as some 20 percent vehicles are expected to enter through it.

Stressing the need for protecting Hatijheel and other water bodies, the Prime Minister said once there had been a large jheel ( (water body) at Motijheel, but Pakistani ruler Ayub Khan destroyed it.

About the box culvert at Panthapath in the city, she said it will be the best thing if an elevated way is constructed destroying the box culvert.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is taking initiatives to enhance facilities in the villages of the country.

Noting that the rural economy is improving, she said, “Jobs are being created in villages. So, the trend of migration to urban areas is declining.”  

The Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP project is being implemented in three phases involving Tk 8,940.18 crore.  The main expressway is being constructed over the railway from the airport to Kamalapur.

Though the length of the main expressway is 19.73 kilometers from the Airport to Kutubkhali point of Dhaka-Chattogram highway, the total length of the expressway including links and ramps would be 46.73 kilometers.

According to the new alignment, the Hatijheel part of Sonargaon-Buet link will be connected with the expressway near BIAM Bhaban located at the south periphery of Hatirjheel. The Sonargaon-Buet link will end at Palashi through Panthakunja and Kataban.

As per the old alignment, the link was supposed to connect the main expressway going through the middle of the Hatirjheel Lake and Panthakunja.

The progress of implementation of the first-phase work from Hazrat Shahjahal International Airport to Banani is 55 percent, while the overall progress of the project work is 18 percent.

The Banani Railway Station-Moghbazar Railway Crossing portion of the expressway will be constructed in the second phase, while its rest portion will be constructed in the third phase.

Convener of the project expert committee Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury and two members of the committee Prof Md Shamsul Hoque and noted architect Iqbal Habib jointly made the presentation.

PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs at the Prime Minister's Office Zuena Aziz, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, PMO Secretary Md Tofazzal Hossain Miah and Project Director AHM Shakhawat Akter were present.

Earlier, the Prime Minister witnessed another presentation on the revised design of a building under Joyeeta Tower Construction Project at her office.

The prime minister gave necessary directives to the authorities concerned over the design.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Women and Children Affairs Secretary Kazi Rowshan Akhter were present.

Joyeeta Foundation Managing Director Afroza Khan made the presentation.