Dhaka, Nov. 7 -- The World Bank (WB) has agreed to finance the country's western economic corroder with a view to facilitating a smart connectivity there, an official said on Friday.

The Washington-based lender would provide US$500 million in loans for constructing a part of the 260-kilometre economic corridor in western Bangladesh.

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) would transform the 48.5 kilometre Jessore-Jhenidah part into the four-lane highway, incorporating two other slow-moving vehicle lanes on both sides.

Under the Western Economic Corridor and Regional Enhancement (WeCARE) project, the state-run road developer has planned to reconstruct the Bhomra-Satkhira-Navaron-Jessore-Jhenidah-Bonpara-Hatikamrul highways making it a ...