An economic lifeline hostage to govt indecision

We are at a loss to understand why the government has been so myopic in its plans to upgrade the Dhaka-Chattogram corridor, which is considered to be the economic lifeline of the country. Reportedly, the government decided to build an expressway in 2013, but after spending Tk 100 crore on a feasibility study, detailed design and preparatory work, it decided to scrap the project altogether seven years later. When the feasibility study was conducted in 2009, the daily average number of vehicles on the highway was between 20,000 to 25,000, and it was estimated that the number would reach 66,000 by 2030. Now, the government is taking piecemeal measures to keep the highway functioning, which is a tall order given the huge traffic it has to accommodate on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, in 2017, Bangladesh Railway conducted a feasibility study and detailed design of a high-speed train, spending Tk 110 crores. It is undertaking another feasibility study currently to build a chord line between Dhaka and Cumilla via Narayanganj to reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram by almost 100 km. If and when built, the route promises to reduce travel time drastically. However, it's still a long way from being constructed—apparently BR has only just begun the process of hiring consultants for the study. Moreover, experts have pointed out that even if the rail expressway is built, it cannot make up for an express highway, as the latter would still be needed to transport 80-90 percent of the country's trade.

Given the importance of the Dhaka-Chittagong route in ensuring the smooth functioning of the economy, it is inconceivable that the government would scrap it altogether, that too, after already spending Tk 100 crores. What was the logic behind such a decision? Did the government not realise that a rail expressway and adding lanes to the existing highway would not be an efficient alternative to constructing the expressway? Was the decision an arbitrary one or was it informed by the expensive feasibility studies that have been conducted over the years? We believe the public, with whose money these studies and projects are carried out, deserves an answer.

The projects that the Road and Highways Department (RHD) is currently undertaking to make up for the lack of an expressway is not enough by their own admission. Many of them are still stuck in their initial stages with no guarantee of if and when they will be completed; or worse, whether there would be any visible improvement of the scenario even after spending hundreds of crores of public funds. Given how much money has already been wasted due to the government's indecision—and how much more would be spent in temporary fixes in the near and far future—we urge it to reconsider its stance and come up with a more feasible and long-term solution.