Massive investment in Dhaka-Sylhet highway, yet safety risks remain

The government is spending nearly Tk 230 billion to upgrade the Dhaka-Sylhet highway to a four-lane road. But despite this massive investment, experts warn the upgraded highway will still pose significant safety risks and may fail to allow vehicles to move at the desired speed.

Stretching 209 kilometres, the Dhaka-Sylhet highway cuts through areas densely populated with industries, markets, hospitals, and educational institutions.

Yet, the current design lacks underpasses or adequate pedestrian crossings, forcing local residents and vehicles to cross the highway directly. Experts say the expansion is proceeding despite serious shortcomings in design and planning.

The Dhaka-Sylhet highway is already one of the most accident-prone roads in the country. According to police records, there have been 358 accidents on this route over the past five years, resulting in more than 400 deaths.

However, officials from the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) acknowledge that these figures reflect only those incidents officially reported. The actual numbers are likely to be significantly higher.

RHD is leading the expansion project. A department source revealed that during the tenure of the previous Awami League government, project costs were trimmed. As a result, essential safety features - including 22 foot bridges and 27 underpasses - were removed from the original design. Experts had warned at the time that compromising on these features would severely affect road safety and traffic flow.

A report by the project’s appointed consultants supports these concerns. It notes that because the highway is not being built to the original specifications, local vehicles will need to cross or merge with the main highway at various points. This increases the likelihood of accidents and reduces the speed of long-distance traffic. Moreover, major intersections and roundabouts could become traffic choke points. The inclusion of traditional footbridges - unsuitable for the elderly, children, or people with disabilities - further undermines pedestrian safety.

Professor Shamsul Haque, Director of the Road Accident Research Institute at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), has been tasked with reviewing the consultants’ findings.

He told Prothom Alo that road safety has been clearly neglected in the current design. “There will still be chaotic conditions and traffic jams in many places. With the expansion of the highway, surrounding areas will see further industrial growth. If safety issues are not addressed now, the situation will become more dangerous in the future,” he said.

Professor Shamsul Haque added, “In Bangladesh, corrective measures often come only after fatalities occur. Instead, we must adopt a proactive approach to prevent deaths before they happen. This is the global standard now.”

The 209-kilometre Dhaka-Sylhet highway is being expanded to four lanes at an estimated cost of Tk 169.18 billion. In addition, nearly Tk 60 billion is being spent on land acquisition, bringing the total cost to approximately Tk 230 billion - averaging about Tk 1.10 billion per kilometre.

The project, scheduled to run from 2021 to 2026, has achieved only about 14 per cent progress so far.

Justifying the scale of investment, the RHD noted that the highway is a key segment of the Asian Highway, the BIMSTEC Corridor, and the SAARC Highway Corridor. It plays a crucial role in sub-regional connectivity, especially with India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and China.

The project’s stated goals include establishing faster, more reliable connectivity between Dhaka and the northeastern region, enhancing road safety through dedicated lanes for local and slow-moving vehicles, and ensuring inclusive infrastructure for elderly people, women, children, and persons with disabilities.

Importantly, the Road Transport Act of 2018 identifies defects in road design, construction, or maintenance as punishable offenses, adding legal weight to concerns raised about the project.

When contacted, project director AKM Fazlul Karim acknowledged the risks posed by the exclusion of several safety components to reduce costs.

“We have been aware from the beginning that eliminating certain features could compromise road safety and prevent vehicles from operating at optimal speeds,” he told Prothom Alo. “That is why an international consulting firm has been appointed. Based on the assessment of BUET experts, the next steps will be determined and submitted to the government for consideration.”

Beyond road expansion, the Dhaka-Sylhet four-lane project includes the construction of 66 bridges of various sizes, 305 culverts, 26 pedestrian footbridges, and 13 overpasses.

However, experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness of footbridges on highways, noting that even in densely populated urban areas like Dhaka, pedestrian bridges are often underused. They argue that 26 such structures along a high-speed highway may prove similarly ineffective.

According to sources in the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the highway passes through densely developed areas with 88 educational institutions, 204 industrial establishments, and 51 markets along its route. It also connects to 28 major roads and at least 650 smaller roads.

There are also 10 hospitals and 28 fuel stations located beside the highway, indicating a high level of local traffic interaction that demands thoughtful planning for access and safety.

The original design of the project was prepared in 2014. When the initiative was formally adopted in 2017, the cost was initially estimated at Tk 95.11 billion. At the time, the government planned to implement the project through a Government-to-Government (G2G) arrangement with China. Negotiations began with China Harbor Engineering Company, which submitted a bid of Tk 163.49 billion. Following several rounds of discussions, the cost was eventually negotiated down to Tk 103.70 billion.

However, in early 2018, China Harbor reportedly attempted to bribe then Road Transport and Highways Department Secretary Md. Nazrul Islam with USD 100,000. The secretary returned the money, and the company was subsequently blacklisted. Following the incident, the government decided to move away from the G2G model and instead finance the project with domestic resources. The revised cost was estimated at Tk 126.11 billion.

Later, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) expressed interest in financing the project. On the ADB’s recommendation, the project design was amended in 2020 to include additional safety and traffic management features—such as intersections, flyovers, underpasses, and improved pedestrian crossings—bringing the overall cost up to Tk 169.18 billion.

The Dhaka-Sylhet highway serves as a crucial transport corridor, directly linking eight districts—Dhaka, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, and Sylhet. Additionally, vehicles from several neighbouring districts also use this highway.

According to the RHD, the highway sees heavy traffic flow across its length. On average, 30,000 vehicles travel daily on the section between Narayanganj and Itakhola in Narsingdi. The mid-section handles around 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles a day, while about 27,000 vehicles use the stretch between Sherpur in Sylhet and Sylhet city.

A large proportion of these are CNG-powered auto-rickshaws and locally operated vehicles that transport livestock, agricultural goods, and daily necessities—highlighting the urgent need for safe crossings for people and goods.

To address safety concerns and improve traffic flow, the project’s consulting firm has recommended a number of infrastructure upgrades. These include the construction of 11 flyovers, 17 underpasses for all types of vehicles, 29 underpasses for light vehicles, and 78 underpasses dedicated to pedestrian crossings.

Additionally, 78 modern pedestrian bridges—designed with ramps instead of stairs—have been proposed to ensure accessibility for the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. The consultants have also suggested the construction of 12 underpasses specifically for cattle crossings. Fencing at key locations, the development of dedicated bus and auto-rickshaw stands, and the installation of proper lighting in market areas are among the other safety and service enhancements recommended. Implementing these additional features is estimated to cost Tk 28.82 billion.

Professor Shamsul Haque, Director of the Road Accident Research Institute at BUET, noted that many of these recommendations align with international safety standards and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to halve road accident fatalities by 2030.

He observed that although the current design includes numerous flyovers, there is potential to reduce their number without compromising functionality. Moreover, he suggested that the proposed pedestrian bridges could be made more user-friendly, particularly for vulnerable groups, without significantly increasing the project’s overall cost.

* The report, originally published in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat