Japan agency aids Bangladesh bridge project
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) this week approved three loans to develop infrastructure in Bangladesh, including one targeted at transport links in the South Asian nation.
The loans total $670 million and will be administered by JICA, the arm of the Japanese government for international development. The transport loan will help fund construction of one of the longest bridges in the world over the Padma River, linking the country's capital, Dhaka, to the industrial center and port city Chittagong, reducing travel time across from 12 to three hours.
The other loans are targeted at helping Bangladesh's small and medium-sized enterprises and the country's sanitation facilities.