Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged Japan to expedite its financing process for the crucial Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) or metro rail project to ease the capital's nagging traffic congestion.

"She urged Japan to expedite the financing of the MRT project so the construction process could be launched soon," a prime minister's office spokesman told BSS quoting the premier, as visiting vice president of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Toshiyuki Kyroyanagi called on her at the PMO.

The government finalized the 20-km long metro rail project to build the over ground tracks from Uttara 3rd phase to Bangladesh Bank in Motijheel with 15 stations touching Mirpur, Farmgate, Shahbag and Topkhana road while JICA is expected to provide the 80 percent of the project cost as credit being the lone foreign financer.

The spokesman said Sheikh Hasina also urged JICA to sign by this month its the 33rd Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) for Bangladesh for three projects -- Metro Rail System, Bheramara Power Plant Project and National Power Transmission Network Project.

"We also need your support to sign the 34th ODA Loan Project comprising four agreements-The Construction and Rehabilitation of Kanchpur, Meghna and Gumti Bridges, the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project, the Northern Bangladesh Integrated Development Project and the Renewable Energy Development Project," she said.

The premier, the spokesman said, acknowledged with regard Tokyo's assistance for Bangladesh's development saying "since our independence in 1971, we received $ 9 billion as aid in the form of grants, loans and technical assistance from Japan" for sectors like communication, energy and power, telecommunication, healthcare, human resources, urban and rural development.

Recalling her official visit to Japan in 2010, Sheikh Hasina said she got commitment of US Dollar 400 million by the JICA for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge and added that "I thank JICA for supporting the project".

In this connection, the Prime Minister said her government has approved the National Integrity Strategy (NIS) for transparency and accountability in all spheres of governance.

She also thanked the JICA for the draft agreements in November last on the Investigation and Development of Groundwater in Urban and Rural Areas and the Primary Education Development Project-3.

Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Towfique-e-Ealhi Chowdhury, Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin, PM's Principal Secretary Shaikh Md Wahid Uz Zaman, PMO Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were also present on the occasion.

Ends/AMA/04/12/12