China-funded mega projects get pace following a prolonged hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.
A senior official of the Economic Relations Department (ERD) said most of the Chinese nationals involved in the project have returned to Bangladesh as the government has allowed all economic activities to resume, he added.
As a result, construction work on about nine projects involving $7.1 billion is going on in full swing.
Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, ERD Asia Wing Joint-Secretary, said the work on the country's mega projects with Chinese assistance has returned in full swing after a long interval due to Coronavirus pandemic.
The projects funded by China are Padma bridge rail connection; National ICT infra-network for Bangladesh government phase III, the multi-lane road tunnel under the Karnaphuli river; installation of single point mooring with double pipeline, modernisation of telecom network for digital connectivity, tier IV national data centre, Dasherkandi sewerage treatment plant, expansion and strengthening of the power system network under the Dhaka Power Distribution Company area and power grid network strengthening project under Power Grid Company of Bangladesh.
Siddiky said talks were held with Chinese officials on August 25 in an effort to speed up work on Chinese mega projects.
"We arranged visas for the Chinese nationals who work with the Chinese-funded projects, so they did not face any problem to come back," he said.
He credited a joint effort from the ERD, the Chinese embassy, different implementing entities and Chinese contractors for resuming the construction work.
The government arranges visas for Chinese nationals who work on the Chinese-funded projects to enter the country, he said.
Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, the project director of the multilane road tunnel project under the Karnaphuli river, said about 235 Chinese nationals are currently working at the site of the tunnel construction project under the Karnaphuli river.
The project has achieved a breakthrough in the construction of the left lane of the tunnel despite a shortage of raw materials amid the Covid-19 outbreak, he added.
He said, “The project work is going on at full pace.”
Shamsur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, said the implementation of the single point mooring (SPM) with double pipeline project has remained stuck for the last 75 days. He expects it will resume this month.
As of August, 52 per cent of the physical progress has been achieved, while the remaining 48 per cent will be completed by the deadline of June 2022, he added.
Considering the current situation, eminent economist Dr Zahid Hussain said the government needs to implement the mega projects on priority basis.
“At present, the government should complete two important projects including Padma Bridge and Metro Rail to boost the economy,” he added.