An unfinished expressway above, a road to immense suffering underneath

Highlights:

• Muktarpur-Panchabati Expressway delays cause daily suffering for Munshiganj residents
• Construction site resembles a war zone with debris and potholes
• Traffic jams cripple trade; trucks and commuters face hours-long delays
• Workers endure unsafe, muddy, and flooded roads to reach jobs
• Project costs rose to Tk3,300 crore; deadline extended to 2026
• Locals decry mismanagement, calling development a "festival of public torment."

What was meant to be a fast track to progress has instead become a slow road to suffering for the people of Munshiganj. The construction of the Muktarpur-Panchabati Elevated Expressway, once hailed as a key link for smoother regional connectivity, has dragged on for years – leaving tens of thousands stranded daily in gridlock, grime, and frustration.

The 10.37-kilometre route linking Narayanganj and Munshiganj now resembles more a war zone than a worksite.

Initiated in 2020, the project was scheduled to be completed by June this year. But now in October, open drains yawn beside deep potholes; construction debris lies scattered like wreckage after a storm.

Each morning, office workers, factory employees, and truck drivers set off with a silent prayer just to make it through unscathed.

"Traffic jams and road chaos are now part of life," sighed Abdullah Al Masum, who commutes from Munshiganj to Dhaka. "A short trip that once took an hour now takes three or more. Even light rain turns the road into a swamp!"

Autos slog through knee‑deep mud and waterlogged potholes as construction drags on for the 10.3 km elevated expressway from Panchabati to Muktarpur in Narayanganj, leaving residents trapped in worsening chaos. Photo: TBS

A road that punishes instead of connects

The expressway above was meant to ease freight transport from Muktarpur's factories to Dhaka and the southern districts. Instead, it has become a choke point for trade. Trucks carrying garments, cement, and frozen goods crawl through thick dust and gridlock.

"Our export shipments miss deadlines; clients are angry, and costs keep piling up," said a BSCIC industrialist. "A bit of rain, and trucks sink into mud. Sometimes we can't even move goods out of the gate."

Workers endure the brunt of the misery. "We wade through knee-deep water and mud to reach work," said Sumon, a garment worker. His colleague Roksana Begum added, "A rickshaw overturned yesterday, and my coworker needed stitches. Every day feels like a punishment for trying to earn a living."

The Panchabati-Muktarpur road, serving as the main link to the Sixth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge since 2008, was never built to bear today's load. Barely 5.5 metres wide and winding through densely built-up areas, the route is flanked by shops and homes on both sides.

A section of the 10.3 km elevated road and flyover under construction from Panchabati to Muktarpur in Narayanganj stretches over the Dhaleshwari River. This modern elevated expressway is expected to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity, but slow progress has left the existing road largely unusable. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

Long tailbacks are routine as fleets of 24-50 tonne trucks thunder through to five cement plants, six cold storages, and dozens of factories.

Recognising the strain, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority initiated the "Panchabati-Muktarpur Bridge Road Widening and Double-Deck Road Construction Project," approved by Ecnec on 8 December 2020.

Delays, discontent, and a bridge to the future

Locals call the situation a man-made disaster. "Development has turned into a festival of public torment," said Asgar Hossain, owner of Panna Cinema Hall. "The road is a death trap. Authorities must act quickly and show some concern for the people who live here."

Shafiqul Islam, a Munshiganj resident, called it "a vital project built on public suffering". He said, "It's one thing to build for the future, but abandoning the present in the process is unforgivable."

Advocates echo those frustrations. "Once complete, this road will greatly reduce travel time for southbound traffic," said Atiqur Rahman Tipu, president of Nirapad Sarak Chai in Munshiganj. "But during construction, ensuring safe travel should have been the first priority. It wasn't."

The project, part of the Bridge Authority's six-lane expansion plan, includes a 9.6-kilometre elevated stretch, ramps, toll plazas, and connecting roads. The budget has swelled from Tk2,659 crore to Tk3,300 crore, while the deadline has been pushed from June 2025 to June 2026.

Two Chinese firms, Shandong Luqiao Group and Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group, are executing the work. Project Director Md Wahiduzzaman said about 79% of the work has been completed.

"There are some land issues in Gopchar, Narayanganj," he said. "But construction is running in three shifts, day and night, to meet the target."

For now, however, the expressway remains a symbol of promise still trapped beneath dust, mud, and mismanagement.