(Yicai) June 30 -- Chinese-built infrastructure is transforming transportation in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and improving economic connectivity across the South Asian country. These projects are also boosting China's public image in the nation, according to a Bangladeshi think tank.

Daily commutes in and out of Dhaka have become much easier, and this has positively impacted China's image in Bangladesh, ASM Tarek Hassan Semul, a researcher at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, told Yicai.

Major infrastructure projects foster collaboration between Chinese and Bangladeshi workers during the construction process, Hassan noted, and in some projects in remote areas, there is much interaction with local residents, further boosting the image of Chinese firms in the country.

Dhaka is known as the "rickshaw capital of the world," and has repeatedly been ranked as one of the most congested cities in international studies. According to data from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, during peak traffic hours in Dhaka the average speed is only 4.5 kilometers per hour, slower than walking pace.

This has prompted successive Bangladeshi governments to invest heavily in improving transportation, with Chinese companies playing a significant role.

For example, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, which connects Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to the city center, was the first elevated road in Bangladesh and the country's first public-private partnership. It began in January 2020 and the first phase officially opened in September 2023.

The project is led by China’s Shandong Hi-Speed Group. The Jinan-based company has participated throughout the project's entire lifecycle -- from financing and construction to operations -- under a 25-year concession.

Mass Rapid Transit Line 6 eases daily commuting, running in a north-south direction and connecting key locations such as the parliament building, important government ministries, and Dhaka University. Funding for the light rail project came mainly from concessional loans from Japan and the Bangladeshi government, but Chinese companies are also deeply involved.

A joint venture between Sinohydro Corporation and Italian-Thai Development is responsible for one of the segments of the Line 6 project, handling tasks such as train stabling, daily maintenance and inspections, as well as the construction of the operations and control centers.

Last August, the first section of the Dhaka Bypass Expressway, spanning 18 km, was officially opened to traffic. This is Bangladesh's first fully enclosed expressway, and was built and is being operated by Sichuan Road & Bridge Group. It connects the northern and northeastern industrial zones of Dhaka and links multiple national highways, providing a direct route to the country's second-largest city, Chittagong.

The project’s chief operating officer, Aftab Hossain Khan, stated that once the entire line is completed, travel times should fall to less than an hour from four to five hours. The better connectivity is also expected to enhance agricultural distribution networks and boost the efficiency of freight movements into and out of factories.

Hassan also observed that an increasing number of young Bangladeshis are choosing to study in China. Twenty years ago, they would have been more likely to choose the United Kingdom, the United States, or other Western countries. But China is closer -- only a four to five-hour flight away -- and it offers high-quality education and a lower cost of living than the West, Hassan added.

Editor: Tom Litting