The Roads and Highways Department in Bangladesh has announced that a Bangladesh-China joint venture firm has been selected for one of the four packages of the BDT 35.83 billion (US$325.21 million) project. 

Abdul Monem Ltd of Bangladesh and QTCH of China will widen the 21.7 km road from Khadim to Bagher Bazaar. The company has been allocated BDT8.91 billion (US$80.92 million) and a timeframe of four years to complete the task, suggesting that the project deadline will probably be extended by a minimum of two years. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will extend a loan of BDT 29.70 billion (US$269.61 million), with the remaining project cost to be covered by the government. 

The physical or civil work of the project is expected to begin in September 2023. After a three-year delay since its approval, the project to widen the Sylhet-Tamabil highway into a four-lane road will finally commence. The main objective of this initiative is to enhance intercity travel within the country and improve cross-border connectivity. The Sylhet-Tamabil highway forms a segment of the Asian Highway-1, connecting India's Meghalaya and West Bengal regions via Tamabil - Sylhet - Kanchpur - Dhaka - Jashore - Benapole. 

The corridor holds strategic importance for fostering sub-regional connectivity, linking the seven northeastern states of India, as well as Bhutan, Myanmar, and China. The stipulated deadline for the project is June 2025.