According to ADB's documents, this project will finance improvement of the 209.3 kilometers Dhaka-Sylhet section of the existing National Highway No. 2 from a two-lane road into four lanes, with slow-moving vehicular traffic lanes on both sides. By connecting to the borders with India via the Sylhet-Tamabil section, the project will improve the connectivity of the Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil international corridor. The investment project will also improve the geometric design of the existing alignment at major control points such as sharp curves and commercial and residential centers, in line with best engineering practices. This will contribute to increased efficiency, connectivity, and safety, bringing the design of the corridor to an internationally comparable level. The design of the road will have enhanced features for safety, elderly, women, children, and differently-abled (EWCD) inclusion, and disaster and climate change resilience to ensure sustainability, accessibility, and undisrupted connectivity. The project will also assist the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in strengthening its capacity for road safety and post-construction maintenance, through the attached transaction technical assistance funded by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (subject to the approval of the Government of Japan) and the ADB's Technical Assistance Special Fund.

The rationale for this project emerges from the government's Eighth Five Year Plan (2020-2025) sets targets for the construction of 550 km of new multi-lane roads, the addition of 150 km of new lanes, improvement or rehabilitation of 1,800 km of the National Highways, as well as achieving 10% reduction in road traffic accidents by 2025. For achieving these targets, the Plan prioritizes core transformational road projects requiring large investments and emphasizes stronger implementation capacity of the RHD for completing these projects timely. The project will be focusing on achieving these targets. 

Transport infrastructure is also the centerpiece of the ADB-supported SASEC program, which promotes regional prosperity. The SASEC Operational Plan, 2016 -2025 identified 112 priority regional cooperation and integration transport projects worth about $58.9 billion. It includes the widening of the NH2 of which the proposed SASEC Dhaka -Sylhet Corridor Road Investment Project is a major part.

CONSULTATION SERVICES

• For consultancies financed by ADB, all consultants will be recruited according to ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time) and ADB Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, as amended from time to time).
• For procurement of goods, works and consulting services to be financed by ADB, ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time) and Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, amended from time to time) shall apply. ADD's standards bidding documents with pre- or post-qualification will be adopted with appropriate modifications.

ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL ASPECTS

• With regards to environment aspects, the investment project is categorized as B as per ADB''s Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) 2009. The initial environmental examination (IEE), prepared for the entire project road in compliance with ADB''s SPS and satisfying the Government's Environmental Conservation Rules 1997, concluded that most of the potential significant impacts such as large volumes of construction materials, transportation, storage and handling, increase in air pollutants, noise and vibration levels, management of construction and demolition waste, siltation of waterways, and traffic obstruction near active construction sites are reversible, largely limited to construction period, mostly localized, and short-term in nature. The entire alignment is not passing through or located proximate to any protected/eco-sensitive area. Diversion of forest land is minimal and limited to a single location. Cutting of trees and loss of agricultural land and physical assets will be compensated in accordance with ADB's SPS and the national requirements. Additional plantations are proposed on top of regulatory requirement to enhance the micro-climate and serve as carbon sink.
• With regards to involuntary resettlement, investment project is categorized as A as per ADB''s SPS. A draft resettlement plan is prepared for the entire Dhaka-Tamabil section excluding the 11.5km section to be funded by the Exim Bank of India based on draft design of the alignment. The resettlement plan is based on the preliminary design. A total of 582.51 hectares of private land will need to be acquired. Total of 9,286 households/unit/entities (55,454 affected persons) will be affected due to the project implementation, which are disaggregated into 8,905 households, 302 common property resources, 56 government offices, 21 RHD owned structures and 2 NGO/Association structures. The total 7,355 households/unit/entities will require physical displacement, of which 4,679 are titleholders, 2,060 are non-title holders, and 276 are common property resources and other government and non-government offices. A total 10 stakeholder consultation meetings and 61 focus groups discussion were conducted between October 2019 and February 2020. Stakeholder engagement will continue throughout the land acquisition process.
• With regards to indigenous peoples, the investment project is categorized as C as per ADB''s SPS. It does not affect tribal lands, and the survey confirmed that no indigenous communities, as defined under the ADB SPS, is affected.

-10 stakeholder consultation meetings and 61 focus groups discussion were conducted between October 2019 and February 2020. Stakeholder engagement will continue throughout the land acquisition process.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.adb.org/forms/request-information-form

ADB has a two-stage appeals process for requesters who believe that ADB has denied their request for information in violation of its Access to Information Policy. You can learn more about filing an appeal at: https://www.adb.org/site/disclosure/appeals

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB

The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main.