Costs rise as Dhaka Bypass Expressway faces delay over land acquisition
The Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development project, aimed at easing traffic congestion around the capital, looks set to miss its July 2025 completion deadline due to ongoing challenges in land acquisition.
Additionally, the project's cost is set to rise by Tk1,000 crore due to inflation and delays.
Initiated in May 2022, the construction of Bangladesh's first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project has achieved 65% overall progress. Originally planned as a 48 km four-lane expressway, it was scheduled to open to traffic by mid-2025.
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Shafiqul Islam Akand, chief operating officer (COO) of Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company Ltd, told The Business Standard, "We are progressing well, but we're facing delays in acquiring all the required land from the government.
To expand the busiest two-lane expressway to four lanes, we need about 30 acres of land. Currently, we have acquired over 26 acres, and the remaining 3.5 acres are still in process. Once we secure this land, we will need time until December 2025 to develop it.
"To expand the busiest two-lane expressway to four lanes, we need about 30 acres of land. Currently, we have acquired over 26 acres, and the remaining 3.5 acres are still in process. Once we secure this land, we will need time until December 2025 to develop it."
He continued, "Additionally, inflation and project delays have necessitated a budget increase of Tk1,000 crore. The current estimated budget stands at Tk3,500 crore, with the government funding 6% and private partners covering the remaining 94%."
The existing two-lane Dhaka Bypass Road connects several highways including Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Rangpur, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Chattogram, and the Purbachal Expressway.
Expanding it to four lanes would significantly boost local and international trade by improving transportation for goods in Sylhet, Chattogram, and the northern regions of Dhaka. According to Shafiqul Islam, travel time from Gazipur to Madanpur will be reduced from two hours to just half an hour.
Once fully operational, vehicles will be required to pay tolls ranging from Tk200 to Tk1,600 to use the expressway. However, three-wheelers will not be permitted on this route, the COO added.
A joint venture company, Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company Limited, has been formed with Chinese Shudao Investment Group Co Ltd holding 60%, Sichuan Road & Bridge Co Ltd holding 30%, and Bangladesh's SEL holding 10%.
They are currently constructing the road and will manage its operation and maintenance commercially for 25 years, which includes a construction period of 38 months.
The project adopts Chinese standards for road construction and incorporates two key technologies—the semi-rigid pavement technique, which enhances durability and load-bearing capacity suitable for high-traffic areas, and the reinforced retaining wall technique, providing stability in challenging topography or soil conditions.
Engineer Shamim Ahmed Khan of Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company explained that these techniques use Performance-grade asphalt combined with a polymer, making the road waterproof and heat resistant. This ensures the road's longevity and sustainability, requiring maintenance only after approximately 13 years.
