Initial Environmental Examination Project No: 52174-001 February 2019 Emergency Assistance Project ADB Project 52174-001 | Grant 0582-BAN Package BANGLADESH: Emergency Assistance Project: Improvement of National Highway (N1) From Link Road (Cox’s Bazar) To Teknaf Prepared by Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Government of Bangladesh (GoB) for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This Initial Environmental Examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Emergency Assistance Project ADB Project 52174-001 | Grant 0582-BAN | TA 9546 BAN Initial Environmental Examination Package BANGLADESH: Emergency Assistance Project: Improvement of National Highway (N1) From Link Road (Cox’s Bazar) To Teknaf February 2019 Prepared by Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Government of Bangladesh (GoB) for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). BAN: EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROJECT February 2019 This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section of this website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. The “Improvement of National Highway (N1) From Link Road (Cox’s Bazar) To Teknaf “Project will be implemented by two (02) phases. The First Phase of this project will be implemented very soon and the time of implementation of Second Phase will be decided later. In the First Phase of this Project, the Contract Package-01 and Contract Package-02 will be implemented and the Contract Package-03 will be implemented during the Second Phase of this Project. However, this IEE study covers all the three Contract Packages but ADB will review and update this report again before implementation of the Contract Package-03 at the Second Phase of this Project. Emergency Assistance Project: Improvement of National Highway (N1) From Link IEE Report Road (Cox’s Bazar) To Teknaf Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................... vii I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 10 A. Background ............................................................................................................................... 10 B. Purpose of Report ..................................................................................................................... 10 C. Extent of the IEE Study .............................................................................................................. 11 D. Scope of Works ......................................................................................................................... 11 E. Study Methodology ................................................................................................................... 12 1. Secondary Data Collection .................................................................................................... 12 2. Baseline Data Collection and Analysis .................................................................................. 12 F. Contents of the Report ............................................................................................................. 15 II. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ..................................... 17 A. Regulatory Requirements for the Project ................................................................................. 17 B. National Legal and Institutional Framework ............................................................................. 17 1. National Environmental Policy, 1992 .................................................................................... 17 2. National Environmental Management Action Plan (NEMAP), 1995 ..................................... 17 3. Environmental Conservation Act (ECA), 1995....................................................................... 18 4. Environment Conservation Rules, 1997 (Amended in 2002) ................................................ 19 5. The EIA Guidelines for Industry (1997) ................................................................................. 20 6. Environment Court Act, 2000 ............................................................................................... 20 7. National Land Transport Policy ............................................................................................. 21 8. RHD’s Road Master Plan ....................................................................................................... 21 9. The Forest Act (1927) and the Forest (Amendment) Act (2000) .......................................... 21 10. National Forest Policy (amendment), 1994 ...................................................................... 21 11. Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation & Security) Act, 2012 (previously known as Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973; amended as Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Act 1974) ....................................................................................................................................... 22 12. National Water Policy, 1999 ............................................................................................. 23 13. National Water Act, 2013.................................................................................................. 23 14. National Agriculture Policy, 1999...................................................................................... 23 15. National Land Use Policy, 2001 ......................................................................................... 24 16. Coastal Zone Policy, 2005 ................................................................................................. 24 17. Coastal Development Strategy, 2006 ............................................................................... 24 18. The Embankment and Drainage Act, 1952 ....................................................................... 25 19. Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) 2009 ............................ 25 C. International Conventions, Treaties and Protocols (ICTPs) ...................................................... 26 D. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Policies ................................................................................... 28 E. Legislation Relating to Occupational Health and Safety ........................................................... 29 F. Environmental Categorization by GOB ..................................................................................... 29 G. Environmental Categorization by ADB ...................................................................................... 30 H. GoB Environmental Clearance .................................................................................................. 30 I. Environmental Studies Needed ................................................................................................ 31 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ................................................................................................. 33 Page | i Emergency Assistance Project: Improvement of National Highway (N1) From Link IEE Report Road (Cox’s Bazar) To Teknaf A. General ...................................................................................................................................... 33 B. Need for the Project.................................................................................................................. 33 C. Location and Size of the Road ................................................................................................... 33 D. Road Design .............................................................................................................................. 35 E. Road Improvement Works ........................................................................................................ 36 1. Earthworks ............................................................................................................................ 36 2. Make-up and Repair Shoulders ............................................................................................. 36 3. Restore Damaged Slopes ...................................................................................................... 36 4. Existing Surface Strengthening ............................................................................................. 36 5. Rigid Pavement ....................................................................................................................