Communications Minister Nazmul Huda and Myanmar Transport Minister Major General Hla Myint Swe laid the foundation stone for the 133-km highway that is expected to be complete in a year and a half.

"It will also intensify the old friendship of people of the two brotherly countries with our people visiting one of the nicest tourist spots, Cox's Bazar," General Khin said on the second day of his three-day visit while briefing journalists at Hotel Seagull in Cox's Bazar.

Communications Minister Nazmul Huda said, "Implementation of a dream started with the laying of this foundation stone."

The friendship highway, which would subsequently link Dhaka to the Asian Highway that will go through 38 other countries. The foundation-laying ceremony follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the two countries on Sunday to construct the road.

The cost of the road is estimated at Tk 605 crore, within which Bangladesh has agreed to build a bridge across the Naaf river. The financial matters will be worked out on Tuesday, a government spokesperson said.

Government officials said Bangladesh has already given Myanmar $10 million to construct bridges and culverts on its side of the border. The road will run from 36 kilometres within Bangladesh to 97 kilometres within Myanmar from the border town of Mongdu in the state of Arakan.

General Nyunt also visited the Agghomedha temple of the indigenous Rakhains in Cox's Bazar and talked to monks and Rakhain leaders.

General Nyunt early yesterday flew to Bandarban from Dhaka and visited a number of Buddhist pagodas and donated $40,000 for the development of a Buddhist pagoda located on top of a 300-feet hill.

The visiting prime minister returned to Chittagong for an overnight stay and is scheduled to visit Chittagong Export Processing Zone before flying home later today.