PM Orders Speedier Work to Connect Bhola to National Road Network
A highway will be constructed along the Rahmatpur-Hizla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route to connect the island district of Bhola with the country’s main road network. As Bhola is surrounded by rivers, its residents have long depended heavily on waterways for transportation. The new road connection is expected to reduce that dependence. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the relevant authorities to expedite the initiative. The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Saturday. Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplur provided the information. He said three proposals were discussed to establish direct road connectivity between Bhola and Dhaka and Barishal. Among them, the Barishal-Rahmatpur-Hizla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route proposed by the Roads and Highways Department was selected. Through construction of a highway along this route, Bhola will be connected to the country’s main road network.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman emphasized developing an integrated road network to overcome geographical barriers and expand uninterrupted communication and opportunities for trade and commerce. He instructed the relevant authorities to expedite the initiative to connect Bhola with the main road network. Project officials said the proposed route would require widening existing roads, constructing new roads and building three small bridges. The feasibility and viability of the project will be assessed quickly. Once implemented, the project will establish direct road connectivity between Bhola, Barishal, Dhaka and other parts of the country. This is expected to reduce both travel time and transportation costs. Officials at the meeting said a major advantage of the Hizla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route would be savings in distance, time and cost. It could particularly provide an effective alternative route for communication between Bhola and Dhaka and Barishal.
Later, at another meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on an integrated information technology system for the health sector, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed the authorities to launch a pilot project for the proposed National e-Health Platform. Hasan Shiplur said the meeting discussed the platform’s proposed structure, management system and potential applications in healthcare. Initially, the platform will be piloted in several districts to assess its effectiveness, potential challenges, costs and feasibility. Based on the experience and outcomes of the pilot project, its coverage will gradually be expanded.
The Prime Minister directed the authorities to ensure effective use of information technology in healthcare. He said the integrated system should be designed so that ordinary people can easily benefit from it and access medical services more conveniently. He emphasized securely storing patients’ health information and ensuring that authorized doctors and healthcare institutions can access the necessary information when required. He also stressed protecting data security and personal privacy while developing the platform. At the same time, the platform should be user-friendly, cost-effective and sustainable in the long term, he said. The Prime Minister instructed the authorities to properly evaluate the pilot project before taking further steps. Senior officials from the relevant offices and departments were present at the meeting.
