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The government is advancing plans to develop a 110-kilometre circular river route surrounding Dhaka alongside a ring road network to ease chronic traffic congestion in the capital and improve urban mobility.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday reviewed the progress of key infrastructure projects aimed at reducing pressure on Dhaka’s road network at a meeting held at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Secretariat.
The review focused on integrating surrounding waterways with road infrastructure to create a more efficient and sustainable transport system.
Once operational, the circular waterway is expected to offer an alternative mode of transport, enabling commuters to travel more efficiently between different parts of the capital while reducing dependence on roads.
Experts attending the meeting presented technical details of the projects and said the introduction of electric-powered water transport could help reduce environmental pollution, lower fuel consumption and shorten travel time.
The initiatives under review include the development of a circular road network and greater utilisation of waterways around Dhaka.
Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Mostafa Zulfiquar Hasan said the meeting examined how the proposed infrastructure projects would improve traffic flow and ease congestion across the city.
The Prime Minister was also briefed on the latest progress of the Dhaka Inner Circular Ring Road project, which stretches from Gabtoli to Babubazar and from Postogola to Demra.
Officials informed the meeting that construction work is currently underway in the Rayerbazar, Hazaribagh and Kamrangirchar sections, with around 45 percent of the work on the 12-kilometre route already completed.
Once completed, the circular road is expected to allow vehicles travelling to Sylhet, Mawa and Chattogram to bypass Dhaka’s inner roads, significantly reducing traffic pressure within the city.
Among those present at the meeting were Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, Local Government Division Secretary Shahidul Hassan, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Dr Mohammed Ziaul Haque, Shipping Secretary Zakaria, Railways Secretary Fahmidul Islam, BIWTA Chairman Muhidul Islam, and BUET professors Khan Mahmud Amanat and Hadiuzzaman.
