Dhaka-Sylhet six-lane to be completed by mid-2029

The construction of the Dhaka-Sylhet six-lane highway is expected to be fully completed by mid-2029, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said on Saturday.

“The new shape of the highway will become visible within the next 12 months,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Sylhet Metropolitan Businessmen’s Association at the Kushiara Convention Hall in South Surma, Sylhet.

The minister said the government was giving top priority to expediting construction of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.

He also said an initiative had been taken to convert the existing road from Fenchuganj to Moulvibazar into a new four-lane highway.

The Cabinet has given in-principle approval for construction of a dual-gauge railway line from Akhaura to Sylhet, while steps are also being taken to address the existing gap in the Sylhet-Chattogram rail route and establish improved rail connectivity, he said.

“This will enable products manufactured in Sylhet to be transported to Chattogram port more quickly,” Muktadir said.

On easing business procedures, the commerce minister said the government was working to simplify and accelerate processes related to setting up new companies, obtaining trade licences and clearances, securing import registration certificates and opening letters of credit for importing machinery.

The government is working to reduce the time required for these procedures from 355 days to 14 working days, he said.

An initiative has also been taken to establish a new BSCIC industrial estate on 188 acres in South Surma to promote cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises in Sylhet. Development work on the project will begin this year, he added.

Regarding security and law and order, Muktadir said strict action would be taken against drugs and online gambling in Sylhet.

He said the Sylhet City Corporation and Sylhet Metropolitan Police were jointly planning to bring the city under surveillance using CCTV cameras equipped with drones, facial recognition and infrared technologies.

The government is also working to introduce facial recognition and fingerprint-based online verification for various services, including the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC), as part of efforts to modernise public services and prevent corruption, he said.

The minister further said an initiative was being taken, in coordination with the ICT adviser, to establish an international-standard AI training centre in Sylhet to equip freelancers and young people with modern technology skills.

Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Qayum Chowdhury, MP Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, Sylhet Development Authority Chairman Rezaul Hasan Quayes Lodi, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sarwar Morshed Shamim, Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun and District Council Administrator Abul Kaher Chowdhury Shamim, among others, attended the programme.