The development of local transport in Bangladesh.

Agriculture constitutes about sixty per cent of the GDP in the Bangladesh economy. The present planned developmental efforts are directed towards higher productivity in agriculture and making Bangladesh self-sufficient in food-grains. The higher productivity goals in agriculture, requiring efficient and timely mobilisation and distribution of inputs and outputs, are likely to lead to higher demand for transport at the local level of the economy. The agricultural strategy, in combination with the aims of considerable import substituting in foodgrains, fertilizer and cement, among other items, is likely to change the composition of foreign trade of the country requiring reorientation of transport movements both in the area of short-haul and long-haul operation. Hence the need for redirection of resource commitments for development of transport capacities in keeping with the nature and quantum of demand for transport at various levels of the economy. Past efforts in rural road development were characterised by poor engineering supervision and lack of basic design standard. Consequently, much of the resources spent were wasted. Largely due to lack of year round communication facility in the rural area, present marketing pattern is inefficient and transport costs are higher than what can be achieved. Planned intensification of agriculture will increase demand on bullocks for draft power. Similarly, an increased marketable surplus will call for higher demand or bullocks for cart-haulage. Without road improvement, there is a danger of transport bottle-necks and continued costly reliance on human portering as a form of transport. There is, therefore, the need for improvement of rural roads to all-weather and flood-free conditions which would offer higher transport capacity and reduced cost of transport - leading to significant resource saving for the economy. Since transport improvement by itself may not lead to economic development, an integrated development strategy is called for. Transport improvement is considered in a broader context of overall development of the economy. Again, since any form of economic development has important income distribution implication, the need for fair and equitable distribution of development benefits within the community is emphasised.