Dhaka, May 8 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that development of railway and waterways will get priority in utilising the money that has been waived by the Indian government under the US$ 1 billion credit line.

Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his recent visit to Dhaka announced that they would waive US$ 200 million of the US$ 1 billion credit as grant and Bangladesh will be able to utilise this amount as they wished.

“I think the communications sector will get the priority, especially the railway and waterways will get the priority,” she said while inaugurating the operation of 33 double-decker bus of state-owned BRTC at a function at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Hasina mentioned that the government is now putting highest importance on the development of the railway and waterways as these two are low-cost means of transport for carrying goods and passengers.

In this connection, she said that the government is conducting massive river dredging across the country to make the rivers navigable all the year round.

The PM also said that instead of building new roads and highways, the government will go for repairing, renovating and maintaining the existing roads and highways. The unfinished construction of the roads and bridges will be completed first.
“We can widen the roads and build dividers on the highways to avert accidents,” she said.