World Bank approves $425 mn to improve Bangladesh bridges

Dhaka: The World Bank has approved $425 million to improve road connections in Bangladesh through building, maintaining and improving rural bridges in a programme that will benefit two thirds of the country's people.

The Operation For Supporting Rural Bridges Programme will maintain 85,000 meters of bridges, widen or rehabilitate 29,000 meters of bridges and build another 20,000 meters of new bridges, said the Washington-based lender in a statement received here on Friday.

It said the programme will also create jobs for local people by generating about 5.5 million person-days of employment, including long-term maintenance work, Xinhua news agency reports.