Govt to scrap Dhaka-Gazipur BRT project

Corridor to be converted into regular road

FHM Humayan Kabir | Published: May 05, 2026 23:33:52

The government is set to scrap the long-delayed and controversial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and convert the dedicated Dhaka airport-Gazipur corridor into a regular road network, officials said on Tuesday.
The decision marks a dramatic end to a 15-year project backed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and French lender Agence Française de Développement (AFD), which has already consumed about Tk 28.10 billion in public funds.
The move was finalised at a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, presided over by its secretary.
Despite around 97 per cent completion of civil works, officials said the exclusive BRT lane will be opened to all types of vehicles, abandoning the original plan for a bus-only rapid transit system.
"The ministry held a detailed review with relevant agencies and experts on Tuesday. The meeting decided to scrap the project without completing the remaining works," a senior official said, adding that a proposal would be sent to the Planning Commission for ECNEC approval to formally close the project.
Officials said the shift aims to quickly convert the 20.1-kilometre corridor into a standard road to ease traffic congestion and provide immediate relief to commuters.
Out of the total project cost of Tk 42.86 billion, around Tk 28.10 billion has already been spent on dedicated infrastructure. However, experts have flagged the design as "fatally flawed", warning that a bus-only lane would worsen congestion along the already narrow corridor.
The specialised lanes are now likely to be integrated into the existing road network to accommodate private vehicles, trucks and conventional buses. The Dhaka airport-Gazipur BRT project has long been seen as a symbol of poor planning and execution.
Initially designed to cut travel time between Dhaka and Gazipur to 40 minutes, the project suffered more than a decade of delays, repeated design changes and escalating costs.
Although most civil works are nearly complete, the government has reportedly decided not to procure articulated buses. Instead, the corridor may be managed as a high-capacity highway, possibly with toll collection to recover part of the investment.
Earlier, the Roads and Highways Division sought a fourth revision of the project, proposing to extend the timeline to 2028 and raise costs to Tk 65.97 billion. However, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) rejected the proposal in July 2025, effectively halting further spending.
Experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), led by Prof Mohammad Shamsul Hoque, had earlier recommended closing the project and converting the corridor into a high-speed roadway.
They suggested utilising the completed infrastructure to improve traffic flow and efficiency.
The committee, formed to probe delays and mismanagement, also recommended better integration with commuter rail services to address transport challenges in Gazipur and support industrial activities.
It further proposed a separate project to develop the corridor into an access-controlled, junction-free road. Existing BRT stations could be repurposed or auctioned, while the depot could be converted into a Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) terminal.
The project, titled "Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project (GDSUTP)", was approved in 2012 with an initial cost of Tk 20.38 billion. It officially ended in December 2024 after failing to secure approval for a fourth revision.
Officials said multiple agencies -- including the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, Local Government Engineering Department, Dhaka BRT PLC, and Roads and Highways Department -- have already spent Tk 28.10 billion.
However, closing the project without extending its timeline may trigger further complications, as two Chinese contractors have claimed around Tk 5.0 billion in variation costs.
The project faced repeated setbacks due to design flaws, flawed feasibility studies, procurement delays, poor contractor selection and weak inter-agency coordination, officials added.