Infrastructure Research Ideas

Dhaka June 16, 2015

Bangladesh PrioritiesWORKING WITH 30-50 economists including Nobel Laureates, 100+ sector experts engaging major development organizations, NGOs, government, businesses, youths, rural and urban Bangladeshis to identify, analyze and prioritize interventions that will deliver greater benefit per taka spent, helping move Bangladesh towards Vision 2021 and a more prosperous long term future.

In cooperation with the Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC,

Copenhagen Consensus Center organized roundtable discussions with

an aim to figure out smarter solutions to the most problematic issues facing

Bangladesh.

These roundtables are one of several sources

for research ideas.

Sourcing ideas and solutions

Smarter solutions for Bangladesh

Complete set of papers on 30-50 solutions

PRIORITIZATION

Government NGOs

Academia Pvt sector

Think tanks Developmentorganizations

Eminent Panel Assessment

Government and donor seminars

Rural polls Newspaper pollsamong readers

Youth forums across the

countryPrivate sector

meetings

Social, economic and environmental benefit-cost

research by top Bangladeshi, and

international economistsExtensive peer review by

sector experts and academics

100+ ideas on policies & investments

2016

2015

Continuous engagement

with the public via electronic,

print and social media

Working with civil society, government and sector

experts

Widely advocating results of

prioritization exercises

OUTREACH

Research ideas

Infrastructure: Energy;(1 of 7)

• Adopt and implement the Coal Policy on an urgent basis. • Increase public investment in electricity.• Encourage private power supply.• Improving power sector efficiency by minimizing

transmission and distribution (T&D) losses.• Decrease cost of electricity production. • Substitution of coal for gas as the primary fuel for

generating electricity.• Reliance on gas and liquid fuel until FY2018.• Shift from domestic gas and imported liquid fuel to

imported coal and LNG after FY2018.

Infrastructure: Energy;(2 of 7)

• Increase reliance on IPPs based on large and efficient power supply.

• Accelerate the implementation of scalable power generation through renewable energy (mainly wind and solar power).

• Leverage potential of wind energy mainly in the coastal areas and offshore islands.

• Regional energy sharing: Expand trade with India and explore hydro-power import opportunities with Nepal and Bhutan.

• Maintain proper coordination of investment in T&D.• Expansion/up-gradation of 90,000 km electric distribution

line by BREB.

Infrastructure: Energy; (3 of 7)

• Construction/Up-gradation of 385 sub-stations in rural areas by BREB.

• New consumer connection - 4 million rural customers.• Electrification of 4,000 villages by BREB.• Replacement of 5 million digital meters by pre-paid

meter in rural areas.• Expansion of electric distribution line - 1250 Km by

DESCO and 2591 km by WZDC. • Construction/Modernization of sub-station in urban

areas.• New consumer connection - 426,000 by DESCO.

Infrastructure: Energy; (4 of 7)

• New Pre-paid meter - DESCO 1050,000 and WZDC 804,956.• Reduce system loss - 9% (DESCO) and 9.5% (WZDC).• Adoption and implementation of a proper O&M strategy

[presently, 22% loss with 2,200 MW).• Upgrading the “dead simple-cycle gas power plants” as

combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT).• Consider turn-key type investments to reduce IPP

procurement problems. • Implement a demand side management (DSM) policy to

reduce peak capacity use by 440 MW.• Design and implement a gas allocation policy.

Infrastructure: Energy; (5 of 7)

• Prioritize LPG usage in domestic and CNG (mini cab) sectors.

• Minimize difference between LPG and pipelined gas tariffs.

• Consider biogas as the alternative of pipeline natural gas.

• Investment for on-shore exploration. • Strike joint venture or “Strategic Partnership” between

BAPEX and IOCs.• Use of coal as coking coal.• Export Barapukuria coal as coking coal or steam coal.

Infrastructure: Energy; (6 of 7)

• Pursue LNG import with Qatar and Australia. • Design and implement the coal center with the capacity of

12 million ton in Matarbari area. • Substitution of low thermal efficient gas-fired power plants

with more energy efficient plants. • Incentives for adoption of improved fuel use. • Promote use of energy conservation technology in industry. • Conserving gas consumption by households through proper

metering and pricing policy based on usage.• Design financial incentives and regulatory schemes for

improved cooking stove.

Infrastructure: Energy; (7 of 7)

• Target energy subsidy in high priority sectors that maintains budgetary discipline.

• Capping the level of subsidy for primary energy at 1 percent of GDP.

• Proper coordination of investment in transmission and distribution.

• Ensure efficient O&M in running power plants. • Scaling up production and usage of renewable energy

sources through government support and subsidies.• Making solar panels more affordable for rural

households.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (1 of 8)

• Construction of Padma Multipurpose Bridge by 2018.• Construction of energy efficient buildings. • Relocation of all markets, shopping malls, restaurant,

and school at least 500 meters away from main roads. • Extension of railway communication among big cities.• Building feeder road alongside the main road for

parking buses.• Building flyovers in intersections.• Ensuring super elevation where the road is curved.• Removing illegal establishment i.e. hat-bazar alongside

the main roads.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (2 of 8)

• Building road divider in risky zones to mitigate road accidents.

• Easily accessible public transport system.• Establishment of a national driving training institute.• Continue to repair, maintain, improve and expand

existing roads on a priority basis.• Construction of a tunnel underneath the Karnaphuli

river in Chittagong.• Conversion of important highways into four lanes

starting with Dhaka-Chittagong.• Continuation of investment to modernize railway.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (3 of 8)

• Construction of circular rail road track around Dhaka city.• Construction of the 3rd Sea port at Payra in Patuakhali.• Construction of a sea port and an LNG terminal at

Moheshkhali.• Strengthen fleet capacity in making Biman a profitable

organization.• Strict axle load control policy to reduce road damages

caused by overloading.• Adopt policies for strict roadside land use development

and right of way (r.o.w) control. • Shift from bituminous pavement to concrete pavement.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (4 of 8)

• Developing coastal embankment/polder infrastructures. • Implement the MRT Line-6 project from Uttara to

Motijheel. • Construct a fly-over starting from Shantinagar crossing

over the Buriganga. • Development of an elevated rail-based mass transit

(MRT) system in Dhaka.• Introduce bus rapid transit (BRT).• Giving autonomy to urban development authorities

(UDA) for coordinated development of metropolitan cities and urban areas.

• Reclaim footpath from street vendors.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (5 of 8)

• Develop adequate pedestrian friendly walking and crossing infrastructures.

• Undertake double tracking of all major railway corridors by phases - Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Khulna, and Dhaka-Parbatipur.

• Strengthening Trans-Asian railway connectivity.• Railway modernization to an Electric Traction System (ETS)

- Chittagong Port to the hinterland.• Connect large EPZ/SEZ mouth ICDs through container

transport railway infrastructure.• Implementing the STP (Strategic Transport Plan 2004-2024)

and DHUTS (Dhaka Urban Transport Studies 2010-2050).

Infrastructure: Transportation; (6 of 8)

• Revamp the Dhaka-Sylhet railway communication. • Establishing a container terminal either at Shayestagonj or

Srimangal.• Construct in phases the Dhaka-Mongla and Chittagong-Cox’s

Bazar rail lines.• Enable railway transfer of coal from Matarbari to the coal-fire

based power stations.• Maintenance of navigable waterways through regular

dredging. • Facilitating flow of passenger and cargo by development of

inland river ports.• Develop inland container river port for transportation of

containers by waterways to/from two sea-ports.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (7 of 8)

• Introduce mechanical equipment for handling cargo.• Develop rural launch landing stations providing pontoon

facilities. • Digitize all the services provided by BIWTA introducing web

based data base application.• Restoration of the Buriganga and waterways around Dhaka

city.• Reducing port induced semi-trailer truck traffic by developing

intermodal rail and river connectivity.• Enhancing container storage port yard facilities at Karnaphuli. • Increasing container handling capacity through expansion of

terminal/yard facilities.

Infrastructure: Transportation; (8 of 8)

• Accelerate use of Mongla Port facility.• Construct a deep seaport in Sonadia of Cox’s Bazar.• Set up coal transshipment terminal at the Matarbari port.• Expansion of operational and passenger facilities of

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. • Development of Cox’s Bazar Airport into international

airport. • Enhancement of Cargo aircraft parking facilities at Shah

Amanat International airport (SAIA).• Construction of a new airport at Southern region.• Emphasis on operations and maintenance (O&M)

spending.

Full List of Attendees and IntervieweesZubair K M Sadeque, Senior Energy Finance Specialist, South Asia Sustainable Development, World BankMustafizur Haque Chowdhury, Chief Engineer, Rural Electrification Board of Bangladesh.Mohammed Abdul Khalekh, Project director, Rural Electrification Board of Bangladesh.Richard Lorenz, Senior Infrastructure Adviser, UNPOS.Sharif Md. Rezaul Karim Assistant Director (Estate), Bangladesh Bridge Authority.Mohammad Amimul Ehsan, Sub-Divisional Engineer, Roads and Highways Department, Ministry of Roads, Transport and Bridges.Md. Shahin, Sub-Assistant Engineer, Ministry of Road, Transport and Bridges, Eng.Md. Masud Alam, Deputy Director, Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority.

Md. Moshiar Rahman, Additional Secretary, Director (Administration), BRTA, Ministry of Road and Transport and Bridges.Md. Shahidul Islam, Assistant Director (Eng.), BRTA Chatta Metro Circle-2.