How Dhaka Bypass Expressway will benefit people
Commuters say the benefits will be even greater once the entire 48km is complete.
An 18-kilometre stretch of the Dhaka Bypass Expressway has been opened, connecting Bhogra in Gazipur to Purbachal in Dhaka. The section, inaugurated on Sunday by Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, is part of a 48km four-lane expressway from Bhogra to Madanpur in Narayanganj.
Officials say the expressway will ease congestion and sharply reduce travel times, and for commuters, the impact is already tangible. The journey, which once took five to seven hours, now takes only 40 minutes. Within 20 minutes, they can also reach Kanchan using this new route.
One of the beneficiaries is Ziaul Haque, an officer at a private firm.
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"Sometimes it took more than four hours just to reach Tongi via Dhaka, before covering the rest of the journey to Tangail in an hour. Now, thanks to the bypass, the same stretch takes only one hour. Once the full 48km bypass opens, my commute will take less than half the time," said Ziaul.
For safety, CNG autorickshaws and motorcycles are banned from the expressway. Officials also confirmed that there will be no U-turns, helping to maintain traffic flow.
Safety engineer Fardeen Imam says the 18km portion has been opened because construction there is nearly complete. "Autorickshaws and motorcycles are not allowed. This is to ensure safety and speed."
At the inauguration, Adviser Fouzul Kabir urged planners and engineers to build more bypasses around large cities but at lower cost.
"Bypasses like this are vital to free cities from jams. But we must reduce costs and use better technology so roads do not crumble every year," he said.
He also noted the poor state of roads across the country. "I receive calls from Sylhet almost every day about broken roads. Our engineers could reduce costs by 30 to 40 per cent if they tried. We must also end our dependence on foreign contractors and empower our own engineers," added the adviser.
Ahead of the launch, the new section was opened toll-free for three days.
Since then, charges have been introduced: Tk740 for large trailers, Tk610 for heavy trucks, Tk400 for medium trucks, Tk310 for big buses, Tk260 for small trucks, Tk210 for minibuses, Tk190 for microbuses, Tk180 for pickups and jeeps, and Tk150 for private cars.
What to expect once 48km opens
Commuters say the benefits will be even greater once the entire 48km is complete.
Kawsar Azam, from Sirajganj, explained, "When the bypass is fully open, buses and trucks from Chattogram or Narayanganj will no longer need to enter Dhaka. They can head directly to Tangail, Rajshahi or Rangpur. That will ease pressure on Dhaka roads and give us a smooth alternative route."
Work on the expressway began in May 2022. With 80% of the project finished, two railway overpasses and eight bridges have already been built. Earlier, the section from Bhogra to Purbachal was opened before Eid to ease holiday travel.
The entire road, linking the Dhaka–Chattogram, Dhaka–Sylhet, Dhaka–Mymensingh and Dhaka–Tangail highways, is scheduled for completion by June 2026.
The project, developed under a public–private partnership, is expected to transform transport links by enabling trucks from Chattogram port to reach Mymensingh, Rangpur and Rajshahi without entering the capital.
Officials said this will ease congestion, reduce accident risks, and support the economy by cutting delays in goods transport.
Chief Operating Officer Shafiqul Islam Akhand said the original budget of Tk3,500 crore has risen due to higher material costs, but progress remains steady.
"Eighteen kilometres are complete and service loads are finished on another 42km. If land acquisition in Narayanganj is completed by December, the project can finish by June next year," he said.
