Ecnec rejects BRT project extension, orders probe into faulty design
It also rejects housing project for July martyrs’ families for now, approves 12 others
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has turned down a proposal to increase the cost and duration of the much-delayed Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project, also known as the Gazipur-Airport Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, citing poor planning and serious design flaws.
The committee also decided to identify those responsible for initiating and designing the flawed project, as well as those involved in preparing the feasibility study.
The decisions were taken during the 12th Ecnec meeting of the interim government and also the 1st meeting in the current fiscal year (FY26), chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the NEC auditorium at Bangladesh Planning Commission in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar today (27 July).
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Costly delays and doubts: Dhaka's BRT project spirals further with 55% cost jump
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud said legal action will be taken against individuals and organisations involved in the flawed planning.
A committee comprising local and foreign legal and engineering experts will also be formed to investigate the matter, the adviser said, adding that the committee will also decide how this project will proceed.
The Roads and Highways Department began work on the 20.5-kilometre BRT project in 2012. According to the original project brief, the BRT was intended to provide a fast, affordable, eco-friendly and sustainable transport system in the congested Gazipur-Tongi-Airport corridor.
But, over 12 years later, the project is still not fully complete.
According to the planning adviser, the construction work of the project is nearing completion, and preparations are now underway to procure special buses for the BRT service.
At the meeting, a fourth revised proposal was submitted seeking a 54.57% increase in cost – equivalent to Tk2,329 crore – raising the total project cost to Tk6,597.32 crore, up from the original Tk2,039.84 crore. The proposal also sought a four-year extension to the deadline. But both were rejected.
Talking about the BRT project's flaws, Wahiduddin said it is so unplanned that it defies logic. "In the Uttara area, no pedestrian will be able to cross the road on foot [if implemented as per the plan]. This area has a significant presence of the ready-made garment factories and such factors should have been considered when the project began in 2012."
Berating the project further, he said it is an inconsistent and bizarre project. "A large number of escalators or lifts are to be installed for the project. But in our country, once these break down, it's anyone's guess when they'll be repaired."
Moreover, the escalators have been installed on footpaths, leaving little space for pedestrians, he added. "As a result, people will be forced to walk on the road instead of using the footpaths."
He further noted that the project design fails to account for the large number of schools and colleges in Uttara. "Even ten footbridges won't be enough to meet the area's needs," he said.
Referring to the foreign consultants, the planning adviser noted, "Even if they designed the project without fully understanding the local context, our own officials should have been able to identify the flaws."
"If the design flaws did originate from the foreign side, we still don't think any action can be taken against them. This is because, in many faulty project agreements we've reviewed, there are clauses stating that no action can be taken against foreign firms or individuals for mistakes," he added.
"For now, we have decided to open all lanes of the BRT corridor – including the dedicated BRT lanes – to public traffic. Although the Planning Commission had proposed allowing buses to operate in the BRT lanes with tolls to recover costs, the government will keep all lanes open for now to reduce public suffering," he said.
Buet Professor Dr Shamsul Hoque, who worked as a consultant on the project, told The Business Standard that the BRT was essentially a "forced initiative" lacking professional integrity.
"Those who initiated this project still believe that with a bit more investment, the returns can be recovered. But in reality, that will never happen," he said.
He further said the project suffered from policy-level flaws. Both Buet and India's CEPT University, who were engaged as project consultants, had tried to convince the authorities for two years that the project would worsen traffic congestion. "Eventually, both institutions withdrew from the project," he said.
He likened the planning to making a shirt without first measuring the fabric. "They didn't assess demand before implementing the project. As a result, to fit the BRT lanes, the non-BRT lanes have been narrowed. This is an industrial corridor with labour-intensive traffic, but that wasn't considered. The impact of this project will be tremendously negative."
He warned that forcing this design could put workers and industrial transport – such as trucks and lorries – at risk. "Those who initiated the project made a grave mistake."
Housing project for July Martyrs' families also rejected
Ecnec also declined to approve a Tk761 crore housing project by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works aimed at providing free flats to the families of those killed in the July uprising.
The project had proposed building six 14-storey and ten 10-storey buildings in Mirpur 14, Dhaka.
Regarding the matter, Planning Adviser Wahiduddin said many project proposals related to the July uprising are coming from various ministries. "These will be evaluated and prioritised before any are approved. The costs of these projects will also be reviewed."
12 projects worth Tk8,149 crore approved
Despite rejecting the BRT and housing projects, Ecnec approved 12 other projects worth a total of Tk8,149.38 crore at yesterday's meeting, including one for further development of Dhaka University at a cost of Tk2,840.39 crore.
Of the total estimated cost of Tk8,149.38 crore, Tk8,058.77 crore will come from the Government of Bangladesh, Tk143.33 crore will come as project assistance while the remaining Tk52.72 crore from the concerned organisation's own fund.
Of the approved 12 projects, six are new, four are revised while two projects witnessed time extension without increasing the cost.
Regarding the project related to the development of Dhaka University, the planning adviser told reporters that after last year's political changeover, the university's new administration was asked to prepare a 'Master Plan' for the development of the institution.
"This big project has been taken up under which new academic and residential buildings, dormitories for the male and female students, a stadium and swimming pool would be set up and renovated to meet the growing demands," he said.
The adviser said the Ecnec meeting has given directives that the residential facilities for the female students should be proportionately higher while the historical sites and structures of the Dhaka University like the SM Hall and the Curzon Hall should be preserved properly.
"I feel very much happy since this project got approval and I hope this will be implemented in a nice way for the development of the University of Dhaka," he added.
The 12 approved projects are – "Construction of Road from Kalurghat Bridge to Chaktai Canal along the banks of Karnaphuli River (2nd Revised 4th Time Extension)" project; "Establishment of 20 (12 new and 08 reconstruction of fire stations) Fire Service and Civil Defense Stations at important places of the country"; "Development of Logistics and Freight Maintenance Facilities for Bangladesh Coast Guard (Proposed 2nd Revised)"; "Rural Sanitation Project"; and "Drilling of Canal from Bahaddarhat Badraipara to Karnaphuli River" (3rd Revised).
The rest are – "Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Railway Lines of Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railways"; "Construction of Officers' Mess and BOQ of DSCSC at Mirpur Cantonment (1st revised)"; "Further Development of Dhaka University"; "Income Generating (IGA) Training for Women at Upazila Level (2nd Phase)"; "Expansion of Museum Building of Bangladesh Folk and Crafts Foundation and Construction of Other Infrastructure (1st revised 4th time increase)"; "Strengthening of Kandal Crop Research Project"; and |Smart Pre-payment Metering Project in Distribution Zones of BPDB (1st revised)".
