The Dhaka-Chittagong National Highway is one of the key highways of Bangladesh. An economic lifeline, it connects Chittagong and other major destinations in the country with Dhaka. This high way upgrade project was initiated by the government in January 2006 and the proposal for the development was approved by January 2008. A Japanese joint venture will build three four-lane bridges on Dhaka-Chittagong highway under a Japan-financed project of Tk 5,967 crore. The company will construct the 397.3 metre second Kanchpur bridge on the Sitalakkhya river, the 930 metre second bridge on the Meghna river, and the 1,410 metre second bridge on the Gomti river. The costs to build the new bridges and rehabilitate the existing ones have been estimated at Tk 8,487 crore. Of the amount, Japan International Cooperation Agency will provide a low-cost loan of Tk 6,429 crore. The joint venture will also build the approach roads to each of the bridges. The bridges will be built to ease traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and to foster quick communication between Chittagong port and the rest of the country.