Dhaka: The government has decided to acquire a total of 192.17 acres of land across the country including 86.82 acres in Dhaka and Narayanganj for the Padma Bridge Rail Connection Project.

A BSS report said the decision was taken at the 106^th meeting of the Central Land Allocation Committee held on Tuesday at the Conference Room of the Land Ministry with Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif in the chair.

Shamsur Rahman Sharif said the government is sincere in development of the communication network and the work on the much expected Padma Bridge has been initiated without any foreign assistance at the sole decision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

‘A historic new dimension would be added in the country’s communication network if the rail link is established with the Padma Bridge,’ he said.

The minister sought cooperation of all concerned for completion of the Padma Bridge Project along with its rail link expeditiously.

The Padma Bridge project is regarded as the ‘fast track project’ of the government. The meeting approved acquisition of 15.8741 acres of land in Narayanganj district and 70.9436 acres in Dhaka district.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Land secretary Mesbah Ul Alam, Railway secretary Feroze Salahuddin, RAJUK chairman GM Joinal Abedin Bhuiyan, director general of Bangladesh Railway Azmal Hossain, additional secretary to Housing and Public Works Ministry SM Arif-ur-Rahman, chief executive of Khulna City Corporation Gokul Krishna Ghosh, deputy commissioner of Chittagong Mezbah Uddin, deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Kazi Ashraf Uddin and chief city planner of RAJUK Sirajul Islam.