Dhaka expressway to link Mawa-Bhanga route for faster travel, avoiding city jams
Another Dhaka expressway ramp to be constructed at Mohakhali to facilitate better traffic to and from the airport
Highlights:
- Dhaka Elevated Expressway to connect with Mawa–Bhanga Expressway
- Link will bypass Dhaka traffic, easing north-south travel
- Feasibility study to decide route, cost, and design
- Dhaka Elevated Expressway completion target: December 2026
- Project delays stemmed from funding, legal, and land issues
- Connection expected to boost trade, save time, raise toll revenue
Road transport authorities have decided to link the Dhaka Elevated Expressway with the Mawa–Bhanga Expressway, which will enable a smooth journey for people travelling from the northern to the southern regions of the country, circumventing city traffic congestion.
The 19.73km Dhaka Elevated Expressway (46.73km with ramps) – linking the Shahjalal Airport to Jatrabari-adjacent Kutubkhali on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway – is partially complete. Around 12.5 km (Airport–FDC) is now open to traffic, while work on the remaining stretch under a PPP model continues slowly amid disruptions. Work will begin in full swing soon.
Meanwhile, the Mawa–Bhanga Expressway begins at Jatrabari-adjacent Keraniganj, separate from the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway. So the gap between the Dhaka Expressway's endpoint and the starting point of the Mawa Expressway is short – one to two km.
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According to officials, connecting the two expressways would ultimately link three major overhead roadways, including the under-construction Dhaka–Ashulia Expressway.
This would allow vehicles from the northern region — Rajshahi, Rangpur, or Mymensingh — to travel directly to the southeastern or western regions — Chattogram or Khulna — without adding to central Dhaka's traffic.
Officials said the Roads and Highways Department recently proposed to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority to connect the expressways. Bridge Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf told TBS that a decision has already been made to carry out a feasibility study on the connection.
"The study will determine whether the plan is practical. Based on its findings, we will make a final decision. It will also outline the estimated cost, the design, and the exact route of the connection—whether it will be an overpass or a road link," he said.
Quazi Muhammad Ferdous, chief engineer of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, said the feasibility study will be conducted through the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).
In addition, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway's current investor will conduct another feasibility study for constructing a new ramp at Mohakhali to facilitate better traffic to and from the airport.
The entire Dhaka Elevated Express project is scheduled for completion in December 2026. The expressway will also connect to the 24-km Dhaka–Ashulia Expressway at the airport point, with that project expected to be completed by June next year.
Linking the expressways and highways would enable travellers to reach their destinations more quickly, saving time and fuel. It would also accelerate the movement of goods and passengers across regions, promoting trade and economic activity.
Additionally, toll revenue for the three expressways would rise, as long-distance travellers and trucks take the direct route.
Dhaka Expressway project faced delays, now back on track
Work on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, which began in 2017 under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, faced delays for various reasons in the past, including disputes among foreign investors, but is set to resume in full swing as disputes ease.
Construction stalled because lenders, including China Exim Bank, had halted fund disbursement, bringing work to a standstill. The contractor has now restarted limited work, and full-scale construction will resume once the next instalment from China Exim Bank is released.
Legal and financial complications among shareholders had previously caused lenders — including ICBC and China Exim Bank — to withhold funds.
The 13th instalment has been pending since January 2024. Officials say the issues are being resolved, and the installation is expected to be released soon. The project's shareholders are Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (51%), China Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited (34%), and Sinohydro Corporation Ltd (15%).
China Exim Bank is providing $461 million, and ICBC $400 million, totalling $861 million in loans. Of this, $467.32 million had been released up to the 12th cycle.
The total project cost is Tk8,940 crore, with Tk2,413 crore (27%) funded by the Bangladesh government.
Officials cite several causes for the delays since the beginning, including legal and financial issues, coordination requirements with other development projects, as well as delays in final design approvals. Land acquisition problems — particularly in areas under Bangladesh Railways, Panthakunja Park, and Dhaka South City Corporation — have required redesigning some sections.
According to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, only 12% of the third phase — from Moghbazar railway crossing to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway — has been physically completed so far.
