Bangladesh's dream of a road connection with Burma has remained unrealized for nearly a decade due primarily to problems of finding funding for construction. The current Bangladesh government, however, is keen to build the road to Burma to further strengthen regional cooperation among the South Asian nations, said official sources.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated her will regarding the road to Burma to Sultan Hafeez Rahman, Director-General of the South Asian Department of the Asian Development Bank on Wednesday, said the source.

She emphasized the need for further strengthening regional cooperation and connectivity to reduce poverty and accelerate development among the South Asian nations.

The Prime Minister approached the Asian Development Bank during a meeting in her country office for assistance for building a road to Burma. The road is to connect from Bangladesh's southeastern city Cox's Bazaar to Kyauktaw in Arakan State, where an existing highway connects to Burma proper.

Dhaka wants to use the road, dubbed the Burma-Bangladesh Friendship Road, to promote trade with China and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Bangladesh has for some time been pursuing talks with Burma and China regarding overland access to Kunming in China's Yunnan Province.

The previous Bangladesh government tried to construct the road link with Burma but was unable to get the project off the ground due to financial problems and other obstacles.

Burma and Bangladesh have signed many agreements related to construction of the road after high officials, including Senior General Than Shwe and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, traded several diplomatic visits.

The current Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, plans to visit military-ruled Burma in 2010 but the schedule has not been finalized. Officials from Burma and Bangladesh are consulting on her visit to Burma, says a Bangladesh foreign ministry source.

The Bangladesh Prime Minister is likely to discuss the issue of road construction with her Burmese counterpart, Senior General Than Shwe, when she visits Burma. She also has plans to sign several agreements during her trip.

According to the source, the road will be constructed in two phases. The first phase will include construction of 43 kilometers from Cox's Bazaar to Kyin Chaung in Burma at an estimated US $27 million.

The cost of 110 kilometers of the road from Kyin Chaung to Kyauk Taw in Burma, is estimated at US $128 million.