As the nation builds, Dhaka crawls: Why transport sector progress still feels stuck in traffic

Graphics: TBS

Dhaka's daily gridlock has become a defining image of Bangladesh's transport crisis. 

According to research by transport planner and South Asia specialist Robert Gallagher, the average traffic speed in Dhaka has dropped to just 6.4 kilometres per hour, barely faster than walking.

Without substantial public transport investment, this could fall further to 4.7 kph by 2035. The picture captures both the progress and paralysis in the country's transportation system: billions are being spent on new infrastructure, yet congestion and inefficiency remain entrenched.

Sigmind.ai founder and traffic data analyst Abu Anas Shuvom said, "In Dhaka, it's not just traffic jams, but traffic chaos. With 24 types of vehicles on the city streets at once, disorder is inevitable. Most roads lack lane markings, and after 8pm, traffic police presence is minimal."

Bangladesh is in the middle of a logistics revolution. New ports, railways, bridges and economic zones are being built to support a growing economy and diversify beyond ready-made garments. But the pace of change is uneven, with structural and policy barriers slowing the benefits that such projects could deliver.

The challenge is not only building infrastructure, but ensuring it works as an integrated system that reduces costs, eases congestion and enables future trade growth.

Kazi Md Shifun Newaz, assistant professor of Buet's Accident Research Institute (ARI), highlighted that the current infrastructure could be optimised with minimal effort. 

He said, "Free usable sidewalks for pedestrians and dedicated roads for vehicles. This should not take more than a month, as a month is sufficient to raise public awareness on this issue.

"Traffic management relies on three main pillars: roads, vehicles and road users. While the road network in our city is insufficient, are we maximising the use of what we have?" he added.

Experts agree that optimising the current road network should be the first priority before considering the construction of new infrastructure.

On the other hand, for decades, 90% of Bangladesh's trade has relied on Chattogram Port, which has long operated over the capacity. The opening of deep-sea ports at Matarbari, Payra and Mongla marks a historic shift. Matarbari, a $4.6 billion project backed by Japan, is the first port in the country able to host 8,000 TEU container ships.

Cross-border connectivity is also improving. Rail cargo to India is growing 20% annually, with the Maitree Express shifting from symbolism to a vital freight link. Upgraded Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), including at Benapole, are reducing customs delays through digital processing.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) promises to link Dhaka to Kunming via a 2,800 km trade route, a dramatic reduction in transport times for high-value exports.

Yet, while trade and industrial infrastructure advances, the transport system inside cities remains the bottleneck. Robert Gallagher, a transport planner and South Asia specialist, points to two root causes in his research. He notes, "Dhaka's traffic congestion has been caused by a lack of planning and preparation over previous decades, and an over-reliance on cars due to a deficient public bus system."

The Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP) of 2014/15 sought to address this by proposing five metro rail lines, two rapid bus routes, and 1,200 km of new roadways, with a public outlay of Tk3.5 trillion over 20 years.

Gallagher explains that the benefits would be substantial, "Compared with a 'do nothing' scenario, each taka spent under the RSTP would do about Tk3 worth of good, mainly because of time saved in traffic."

Traffic management relies on three main pillars: roads, vehicles and road users. While the road network in our city is insufficient, are we maximising the use of what we have?

Kazi Md Shifun Newaz, assistant professor, Accident Research Institute, BUET

But private investment in vehicles is outpacing public spending. Gallagher warns, "Private spending could be around Tk6.1 trillion, or twice the public spending. That means 360,000 extra cars by 2035, taking up parking space equivalent to Gulshan and Banani combined".

To him, the solution is a shift towards buses. He argues, "If the same money went into better bus systems, with 9,000 more buses, then by 2035 the number of extra cars would fall to just 100,000. Traffic would move at 14.4 kilometres per hour, and total private transport costs would be cut by Tk1.3 trillion, a saving worth four and a half Padma Bridges. In that scenario, every taka spent would do about Tk6 worth of good."

The barriers to an efficient transport system are not only financial. Coordination between road, rail, ports, and airports remains weak. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport's new third terminal is expected to triple cargo capacity, but without reliable rail and road connections, efficiency gains could be muted. Similarly, the Padma Bridge has cut Dhaka-Khulna travel time in half, yet congestion in Dhaka continues to sap productivity.

Sustainability is another pressing challenge. Logistics already contributes significantly to air pollution and carbon emissions. While port automation, blockchain-based trade documentation, and renewable energy projects are being piloted, uptake is slow. Without systemic reforms, today's infrastructure risks becoming tomorrow's bottleneck.

Bangladesh's transportation sector sits at a crossroads. On one hand, deep-sea ports, expressways, and SEZs point to a future where the country can cut logistics costs and integrate into global supply chains. On the other hand, urban congestion, reliance on private vehicles, and weak multimodal integration threaten to stall progress.

The stakes are enormous. With trade volumes surging and the economy diversifying, the right mix of policies and investments could unlock billions in savings. Yet unless choices shift decisively towards public transport and system integration, Bangladesh risks pouring money into new projects without solving the traffic that moves no faster than a pedestrian.

Bangladesh's transport system is therefore both ambitious and cautionary: a nation building ports, bridges, and railways for its future, but still searching for a way out of its present gridlock.