18km of Dhaka Bypass Expressway opens to traffic
The route connects the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways, reducing travel time between the regions
An 18-kilometre section of the 48km Dhaka Bypass Expressway has been opened to traffic, easing road communication from the Bhogra Bypass in Gazipur to Madanpur.
Bite-Sized: What to know about the 18km bypass transforming commutes
The route connects the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways, reducing travel time between the regions.
Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan formally inaugurated the section this morning (24 August).
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"Bypasses like this must be built around big cities to free them from traffic jams. However, we must reduce the cost of road construction and increase technology so that roads do not fall into disrepair year after year," he said at the event.
"We are seeing in newspapers that roads are breaking and becoming unusable. I get phone calls from Sylhet almost every day about their poor condition. Our engineers can reduce the costs by 30–40% if they want to," he also said.
He added, "For how long will we bring people from abroad to build our roads, bridges and railways? We must figure out how our country's engineers can do the work. We must gradually free ourselves from foreign dependency."
According to project officials, construction of the expressway began in May 2022.
With 80% of the work completed, the finished 18km portion has now been opened for use. Earlier, a 21km stretch from Bhogra to Purbachal was opened ahead of Eid to ease holiday travel.
The full 48km expressway is scheduled for completion by June 2026.
CNG autorickshaws and motorcycles are banned on the expressway, while U-turns will not be allowed in this section.
Toll collection has started on a partial basis, with rates varying by vehicle type.
Expressway authorities said the new section will help ease traffic congestion around the capital while improving the efficiency of goods transport.
They added that when fully operational, the expressway will serve as an alternative route for the northern region and contribute to the national economy.
Senior government officials present at the inauguration included Road Transport and Highways Division Senior Secretary Md Ehsanul Haque, Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury, Roads and Highways Department Chief
Engineer Syed Moinul Hasan, Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Nazmul Karim Khan, and Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Nafisa Arefin.
