Govt plans to construct Dhaka-Chittagong expressway, run fast trains

Bangladesh government is contemplating the construction of a four-lane expressway, in addition to the existing national highway, to improve connectivity between capital Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong.

Once completed, the distance between the two cities can be covered in just two and a half hours.

The government is also planning to run express trains between them. For that, a shorter rail route will have to be laid alongside the existing one.

This project would bring the travel time between the two cities down to one and half hours. At present, it takes at least six hours to cover the distance.

Secretaries to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the Ministry of Railways made a Powerpoint presentation of the drafts of the twin projects at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban on Thursday.

The prime minister directed them to plan the projects by keeping in mind the scenario likely to emerge 20 years later.

“We need to keep in mind what is good for the people. While undertaking any project, we need to consider what will be our situation after 20/25 years,” she said.  

In his presentation, Road Transport and Highways Secretary MN Siddique said they were doing the feasibility study of constructing the expressway under public-private partnership (PPP).

“From Kachpur to Chittagong, there are three possible routes through which the proposed expressway can pass. First route is alongside the existing national highway.

“The second and the third routes will take a diversion after running parallel to the existing highway up to Daudkandi.

“The best option, however, will be to build it alongside the highway.”

He said both flanks of the expressway would be blocked so that vehicles would be able to enter or exit only at certain specific points.

If the expressway is made totally elevated, the project cost will be $8.6 billion. But the cost will drop to $ 3.4 billion if made at-grade elevated.   

The secretary said a few Chinese companies had got in touch, expressing their eagerness to build the expressway. 

“Not a single taka will be spent from the country’s exchequer if it is built on PPP,” he said. 

Acting railways secretary Firoz Salah Uddin in his presentation said, at present, the railway line between the two cities passed through Akhaurha in Brahmanbarhia.

But the route could be shortened by around 100 kilometres, if from Fatullah in Narayanganj it passed via Moynamati in Comilla.

He said if diesel-electric traction locomotives ran over standard gauge tracks, the speed of the train would be 160 kilometres per hour.

The speed would increase to 200 kph if it ran entirely on electricity, he added.  

Ten trains would be able to ply on the route with 100MW supply of electricity.

“From Kachpur to Chittagong, there are three possible routes through which the proposed expressway can pass. First route is alongside the existing national highway.

“The second and the third routes will take a diversion after running parallel to the existing highway up to Daudkandi.

“The best option, however, will be to build it alongside the highway.”

He said both flanks of the expressway would be blocked so that vehicles would be able to enter or exit only at certain specific points.

If the expressway is made totally elevated, the project cost will be $8.6 billion. But the cost will drop to $ 3.4 billion if made at-grade elevated.   

The secretary said a few Chinese companies had got in touch, expressing their eagerness to build the expressway. 

“Not a single taka will be spent from the country’s exchequer if it is built on PPP,” he said. 

Acting railways secretary Firoz Salah Uddin in his presentation said, at present, the railway line between the two cities passed through Akhaurha in Brahmanbarhia.

But the route could be shortened by around 100 kilometres, if from Fatullah in Narayanganj it passed via Moynamati in Comilla.

He said if diesel-electric traction locomotives ran over standard gauge tracks, the speed of the train would be 160 kilometres per hour.

The speed would increase to 200 kph if it ran entirely on electricity, he added.  

Ten trains would be able to ply on the route with 100MW supply of electricity.

In the presentation, it was stated that $4 billion would be required to lay at-grade tracks. 

Firoz Salah Uddin, too, said China was eager to execute the project.

The secretary said money would not be a problem as there was a reserve of $26 billion. 

“For the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar), the linkage should be through Chittagong. Even for the network we developed in the north with Nepal, Bhutan and India, we need connectivity through Chittagong,” the prime minister said.

“Trade and commerce is expanding and with it communication, too, is increasing. We have to keep in mind that the economy will not grow without regional connectivity,” Hasina added.

During the meeting, she also stressed on the launch of a DEMU train service between Rajshahi and the Bangladesh Agriculture University.

She asked the railway secretary whether the DEMU trains she had inaugurated after coming to power in 2009 were still running.  

The secretary said they were running in certain routes including the one for the Chittagong University.

The prime minister said DEMU services could be introduced in universities.