Ex-Ante Evaluation (for Japanese ODA Loan)
1. Name of the ProjectCountry: The People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Project: Jamuna Railway Bridge Construction Project (E/S)
Loan Agreement: June 29, 2016
Loan Amount: 2,464 million Yen
Borrower: The Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
2. Background and Necessity of the Project(1) Current State and Issues of the Railway Sector in Bangladesh
Bangladesh possesses the railway transportation network of 2,877km in total. However,most facilities and equipment were developed during the British colonial rule (prior to 1947),
and the deterioration causes speed/weight limit, delay in operation and vehicle failures.
Advantages of the railway transportation, such as the fixed quantity, punctuality, masstransportation, safety and energy saving nature, are not fully demonstrated. As a result, while
the road transportation has been rapidly expanding after 1970s, the percentage of the railway
transportation in all transportation modes decreased to less than 10% in recent years.
Moreover, the container transportation is expected to increase in the future along with thestable economic growth of Bangladesh and neighboring countries. Expectations towards therailway transportation are thus high.
Jamuna Railway Bridge Construction Project (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”)
covers the construction of a railway bridge (double-track, broad/narrow dual-gauge) at 300m
upstream of the Jamuna Multi-purpose Bridge (hereinafter referred to as “the existingbridge”) across the Jamuna River which flows through the central country. The existing bridge
is equipped with a railway (single-track, broad/narrow dual-gauge) which was not initiallyplanned, as the demand for international and domestic railway transportation was expected toincrease as a part of Trans-Asian Railway which leads to neighboring India. However, theseparation of the railway part is urgent due to various issues, such as 1) limited train capacity
caused by the single track, and 2) limited speed/weight caused by the fact that the railway,
which should be laid on the center of the bridge, was laid on one side (upstream). After theconstruction of the railway bridge, the existing bridge will be renovated into a 4-line roadbridge at the expense of the Government of Bangladesh.
(2) Development Policies for the Railway Sector in Bangladesh and the Priority of theProject
In National Integrated Multimodal Transport Policy (2013), the Government of Bangladesh
expressed its policy to strengthen the railway transportation in order to decrease the relianceon road transportation. In the Railway Master Plan (2013), it also expressed its will toprioritize the implementation of the Project which would contribute to the international
railway transportation as a part of Trans-Asian Railway.

Japan’s Country Assistance Policy for Bangladesh (June 2012) recognizes the accelerationof the economic growth as an important field and aims to engage in the development oftransportation and traffic infrastructure, in order to promote efficient movement of people andthings and reduce the regional gap. Moreover, in JICA Country Analysis Paper for
Bangladesh (April 2013), JICA analyzes that the “development of national transportation andtraffic network” is an important issue. The Project coincides with these policies and analyses.
The Project is one of the 5 projects requested by the Prime Minister Hasina in the jointstatement “Japan-Bangladesh Comprehensive Partnership” which was published on theoccasion of Prime Minister Hasina’s visit to Japan in May 2014. It is positioned as animportant project which will improve the regional connectivity.
(3) Japan and JICA’s Policy and Operations in the Railway Sector
JICA conducts various assistance in the railway sector, such as Dhaka-Chittagong RailwayDevelopment Project (2007) and technical cooperation for Dhaka Urban Transport NetworkDevelopment (2011-2015).
(4) Other Donors’ Activity
The main donor in the railway sector in Bangladesh is Asian Development Bank
(hereinafter referred to as ADB). As a part of its Railway Sector Investment Program (2007-),
ADB conducts the reform of the railway sector, including the dual-gauging of some sections,privatization of Bangladesh Railway and the tariff reform. Recently, the Government of Chinais also proposing dual-gauging and new construction of multiple sections.
(5) Necessity of the Project
The Project is in consistent with Japan and JICA’s assistance policy and analysis. The
Government of Bangladesh also points out the importance of developing railway corridors
which connect neighboring countries and optimizing the traffic and distribution. The necessity
for JICA to assist the Project is thus high.
3. Project Description(1) Project Objective
The Objective of the Project is to improve capacity and safety of railway transportation byconstructing a dedicated railway bridge over the River Jamna in parallel to the existing
Bangabandhu Bridge (Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge), thereby contributing to the efficientlogistic network within the country and with neighboring countries.
(2) Project Site / Target Area
Sirajganj District and Tangail District(3) Project Components
The Project covers the construction of a railway bridge across the Jamuna River in central
Bangladesh. This Japanese ODA Loan covers the Engineering Service (hereinafter, referred toas E/S) for the detailed design and tender assistance of the Project, in order to promote itssmooth implementation.
1) Contents of civil work, facilities and equipment

① Construction of Jamuna railway bridge (dual-gauge double-track, steel truss bridge of
4.8km)② Construction of approach bridges (elevated) on both banks and replacement of rails(6.5km in total on both banks)③ Development of related facilities (electric signal system, replacement and renovationof stations on both banks, associated facilities, etc.)
2) Contents of consulting service① F/S review, detailed design, tender assistance, assistance for environmental andsocial consideration procedure② Construction supervision③ Safety measures related to construction works④ Monitoring assistance related to environmental and social consideration⑤ Technology transfer related to design and construction, training related to railway
technology and management strategy, etc.
The Loan for the Project will assist ① and the technology transfer among above ⑤.
(4) Estimated Total Project Cost (Loan Amount)
Approx. 150,000 million Yen (Loan Amount for E/S: 2,464 million Yen)
The total project cost based on the existing F/S is approximately 150,000 million yen. It
will be re-calculated in the detailed design under the E/S Loan.
(5) Schedule
June 2016 - December 2018 (31 months in total). The Project will be completed upon thedisbursement of the E/S Loan completes (December 2018). The construction phase of theproject is planned from January 2019 to December 2023.
(6) Project Implementation Structure1) Borrower: The Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
2) Guarantor: N/A
3) Executing Agency: Bangladesh Railways (hereinafter referred to as “BR”)
4) Operation/Maintenance System: BR will manage and maintain the Project. BR is incharge of projects by various donors and the Government, including the Japanese ODA
Loan projects, and possesses sufficient competences.
(7) Environmental and Social Consideration / Poverty Reduction / Social Development
1) Environmental and Social Consideration:① Category: A② Reason for Categorization: The Project falls under the Railway and Bridge Sector
specified in JICA Guidelines for Environmental and Social Consideration (of April2010).
③ Environmental Permit: To be confirmed in the E/S Loan.
④ Anti-Pollution Measures: To be confirmed in the E/S Loan.
⑤ Natural Environment: To be confirmed in the E/S Loan.
⑥ Social Environment: To be confirmed in E/S Loan.

⑦ Other / Monitoring: To be confirmed in E/S Loan.
2) Promotion of Poverty Reduction: N/A3) Promotion of Social Development: The Project does not target gender, as no specificactivity from the gender perspective is expected. Gender consideration will be examined,
as in the design of stations, etc., when the loan for the construction phase of the project isapproved.
(8) Collaboration with Other Donors
The information on the progress of the BR Reform Project assisted by ADB will be shared.
If its progress is slow, appeal to BR and the Ministry of Railways, the supervising ministry,with ADB.
(9) Other Important Issues
The Project plans to use Japanese technology, such as direct steel fastened track, steel pipe
sheet-pile foundation method, weathering steel materials and head hardened rails.
4. Targeted Outcomes(1) Quantitative Effects
1) Performance Indicators (Operation and effect indicators)
Indicator

Baseline(Actual value in XXXX)

Target (XXXX)【Expected value X years after theproject completion】

To be determined during the Appraisal for the construction phase ofthe project.
2) Internal Rate of Return
To be determined during the Appraisal for the construction phase of the project.
(2) Qualitative Effects
Efficiency of railway transportation in the region, etc. (To be determined during theAppraisal for the construction phase of the project)
5. External Factors and Risk Control
N/A
6. Evaluation Results and Lessons Learned from Past Projects(1) Lessons Learned from Past Project
The ex-post evaluation of the Second Menkong International Bridge Construction Projectin Thailand and Laos describes that developing an extensive traffic network, it is important tosufficiently analyze and examine the state of other traffic networks and development plansfrom a cross-border, extensive/comprehensive perspective before preparing the project.
According to the ex-post evaluation of Nonthaburi and Pathumthani Bridges Construction
Project in Thailand, floods and soft grounds obliged the plan had to be reviewed during theconstruction, which was time-consuming.
(2) Application of Lessons Learned to the Project
Based on the Regional Transport Infrastructure Development Plan in South Asia, thecollaboration with related projects assisted by other donors and the Government ofBangladesh will be considered when formulating the Project. As a countermeasure for floods
and soft grounds, the F/S review for the E/S loan will include the topographical andgeological survey which was not conducted for the existing F/S. Based on the survey, theselection of the bridge type and preparation of bidding documents will be conducted carefully.
It will minimize the risk of having to review the plan after its start which is causing the delayin the Project.
7. Plan for Future Evaluation(1) Indicators to be Used
To be determined during the Appraisal for the construction phase of the project(2) Timing
To be determined during the Appraisal for the construction phase of the project