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Published : 02 May 2026, 02:39 PM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has outlined his government's plans to improve road and rail communications between Dhaka and Sylhet.
Speaking at a civic gathering at Sylhet Nagar Bhaban on Saturday, he said the poor condition of the highway had made travel between the two cities difficult.
“During the election, I came to Sylhet by plane, but returned by road while attending election rallies. I said then that it probably takes nine to nine and a half hours to travel from Sylhet to London, but because of the poor road condition, it takes almost 10 hours to reach Dhaka by road,” Tarique said.
“I said that if we were able to form the government, we would take up this work so that it could be done quickly.”
The BNP chief said he had spoken to the ministry concerned after forming the government and that steps had already been taken.
“It will take time, but once the work starts, we hope to complete it within the next few years. Then people will no longer have to suffer so much while travelling between Dhaka and Sylhet by road,” he said.
Tarique also said the government wanted to expand railway services across the country, including on the Dhaka-Sylhet route.
“Rail travel costs less. Businesses can also transport goods at lower cost. If rail communication is expanded, more people will use it and costs will come down,” he said.
But widening roads alone would not solve the country’s transport problems, as more vehicles would eventually add to congestion, according to Tarique.
He also stressed the need to protect farmland while building infrastructure.
The premier said Bangladesh was largely self-sufficient in food and must preserve that position while improving its communication network.
“We will certainly improve roads and transport, but we also want to develop the railway. We are trying to see how a double-track rail line can be built to Sylhet and whether that can help solve the problem.”
Tarique was speaking at an event marking the inauguration of work to build flood-protection infrastructure and beautify both banks of the Surma River within the Sylhet City Corporation area.
He also warned that excessive use of groundwater could create a serious crisis in the future.
The prime minister said canals should be re-excavated and reservoirs built to preserve rainwater and monsoon water.
“We want to address the situation now. The first step is to re-excavate canals and use the water that comes during the monsoon and rainy season,” he said.
He urged Sylhet City Corporation to run awareness campaigns to prevent dumping of plastic, polythene, paper and other waste, saying such materials contribute to waterlogging.
