Chittagong, Bangladesh: Burma has agreed to a proposal for the construction of a tri-nation highway connecting Chittagong and the Chinese city of Kunming through Burma, Zhang Xianyi, the Chinese ambassador in Dhaka has said, according to a report of United News of Bangladesh (UNB).

“Burma has now agreed to the Chinese government’s proposal for connecting Chittagong with Kunming through Burma,” Hasan Mahmud, the State Minister for Forests and Environment,  told reporters after a meeting with the Chinese ambassador Zhang Xianyi at his office on September 14, 2010.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Hasan Mahmud said, “The Bangladesh government earlier requested China to talk to the Burmese government about the highway.”

Burma had kept its decision pending to a similar proposal made by Bangladesh earlier, the minister said.

Construction of proposed friendship road between Dhaka and Rangoon got stuck as military-ruled Burma did not respond to Dhaka’s proposal, said the minister.

Rangoon was apparently reluctant to go ahead with Dhaka’s proposal for establishing the road link between the two bordering countries, which was planned to connect China as well, eventually to establish a link with the Asian Highway.

“The two sides agreed to enhance transport links and to continue to discuss the possibility of building road links between the two countries,” a joint statement issued on March 19 during Hasina’s visit to China, stated.

Hasan Mahmud said, “We could not make any significant progress in construction of the proposed cross-border link road due to lack of positive response from the Burmese side.”

“Military-ruled Burma responded as the government needs support from neighbouring countries; Thailand, Bangladesh and China. Burma agreed to the proposal of the road link to wrap up the election with the help of these countries. But, I don’t think Burma will proceed with the road link after the election,” said an exiled Burmese politician from Cox’s Bazaar.

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had proposed to build the highway during her visit to Burma in 2003 as part of a ‘Look East Policy’ to be connected with Burma, Thailand, China and other South-East Asian countries.

In 2004, the head of the Burmese government visited Bangladesh and laid the foundation of the 153-kilometre road in Rammu, Cox's Bazaar the southeastern tip of the country.

The proposed road project is divided in two phases. The first phase includes construction of a 43 km road ‘20 km inside Bangladesh and 23 km in Burma side’ linking Guandhum in Cox’s Bazaar with Bawlibazaar ( Kyein Chaung) in Burma.

Dhaka agreed to bear the construction cost of the first phase at Taka 274 crore. In July 2007, Bangladesh and Burma signed a deal in Dhaka on the first-phase construction of the friendship road after four years of negotiation.

The constriction cost of the 110-km second phase between Taungbro to Kyauktaw in Burma side has been estimated to cost around Taka 7.0 billion.