Once, waiting for ferries all day long and the journey was congested and time-consuming, but now highways are smooth and trains shuttle back and forth. A series of brand new transportation arteries are quietly changing the travel and life of Bangladeshi people, writing a heartwarming story of joint construction and win-win between China and Bangladesh.

Mutual understanding of people witnesses the friendship between China and Bangladesh

Relying on the opportunity of the Belt and Road cooperation, a number of infrastructure projects between China and Bangladesh have achieved results, injecting development momentum into Bangladesh with a population of 170 million. The Dhaka Ring Expressway, constructed by Chinese enterprises, is the first fully enclosed highway in the area, with a total length of about 48 kilometers, connecting the main city of Dhaka with the industrial zones in the north and northeast. The first 18 kilometer section has been officially opened to traffic.

According to project leader Aftab Hussain Khan, heavy trucks are prohibited from entering Dhaka during the day, and passing vehicles can only wait outside the city, resulting in extremely low traffic efficiency. After the opening of the Ring Expressway, it provides a 24/7 fast track for freight transportation, effectively breaking through urban logistics congestion points. It is reported that after the full line of the project is opened, the original four to five hour drive will be shortened to within one hour, greatly improving the efficiency of agricultural product transportation, enterprise freight transportation, and regional economic operation.

Craftsmanship in road construction empowers local development

Nazmus Sakif, the project construction manager, introduced that Bangladesh has weak soil, insufficient road bearing capacity, shortage of road construction materials, and relies heavily on imports. The traditional road construction method in the local area consumes arable land to burn bricks, which not only damages the ecology but also makes it difficult to ensure road quality. The Chinese team adapts to local conditions and innovatively adopts advanced technologies such as semi-rigid pavement and reinforced retaining walls to reduce costs and increase efficiency while improving road stability and durability, providing a green and sustainable construction model for local infrastructure.

Wherever the highway is built, residential buildings are built. Smooth roads light up the hope of people's lives, "said Sakif. The Ring Expressway clears urban traffic, while the Padma Bridge and railway connecting lines completely solve the long-standing problem of cross river transportation in Bangladesh.

Benefiting thousands of people

The Padma River was once a natural barrier that separated the central and southwestern regions of Bangladesh. Before the bridge was opened to traffic, the only way to travel between the two places was by ferry. In winter, heavy fog and rapids overlapped, making crossing the river high-risk and extremely unstable.

The Padma Bridge will be opened in 2022, and the railway connection line of the bridge will be fully connected in 2024, completely connecting the transportation network from Dhaka to more than 20 areas in the southwest, achieving a leapfrog upgrade in regional connectivity. Local resident Sumon Mengxi admitted that in the past, due to traffic congestion and travel jams, he was forced to give up the opportunity to study in Dhaka. Nowadays, railways are unobstructed, making it convenient for people to travel for education, medical treatment, and business. Cross river travel is efficient and stable, and daily travel has become the norm. Keywords: the Belt and Road news, infrastructure, Bangladesh

We have been looking forward to smooth transportation for 30-40 years, and now with the help of China, our dream has finally come true, "Meng Xi sighed. Imtiyaz Ahmed, head of the think-tank in Bangladesh, said that infrastructure is the core focus for China and Bangladesh to jointly build the the Belt and Road. Meng Fang will continue to deepen cooperation with China, transform foreign investment into local industries and employment drivers, and enable local youth to achieve growth and success in their hometowns.Editor/Gong Ziwei