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Special correspondent
Bangladesh’s Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is set to consider a revised proposal for the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway this week, ending nearly six months of uncertainty over one of the country’s largest transport infrastructure projects.
The second revised Development Project Proposal (DPP) is expected to be placed before the ECNEC meeting on Wednesday, to be chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The Planning Division has also prepared eight other major development projects for approval.
The latest revision proposes adding three strategic connectivity components to the expressway: a direct link to the Baipayl Intersection, integration with the Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and connectivity with the under-construction underground Mass Rapid Transit Line-1 (MRT-1).
Planning Commission officials said the additional works would raise the project’s estimated cost by 55.15% from the original approval.
The Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway was initially approved at a cost of Tk 169.01 billion, to be financed through Tk 59.51 billion in government funds and Tk 109.50 billion in Chinese loans. Following an earlier revision, the project cost was increased to Tk 175.53 billion.
Under the latest proposal, an additional Tk 96.80 billion has been sought, taking the total estimated cost to Tk 265.81 billion (about US$2.2 billion).
Officials attributed the cost increase to depreciation of the local currency, higher taxes and customs duties, rising land acquisition and utility relocation costs, and increased consultancy expenses.
The implementation schedule is also set for another extension. Originally launched in September 2017 with a completion target of June 2022, the project was previously extended to June 2026 after delays in finalising the external financing agreement. The government is now seeking a further four-year extension until June 2030.
Thus the mostly China funded revised project comprise three vital features:
* Six-month delay likely to end
* Project cost to exceed Tk 250 billion
* Completion deadline proposed to be extended by four years
Despite the delays, the project has achieved financial progress of 66.86%, with expenditure reaching Tk 117.35 billion as of June 2025. Physical implementation, however, stands at 52%, according to project documents.
The Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway is expected to ease chronic traffic congestion on the capital’s northwestern corridor while improving connectivity between Dhaka, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the northern districts and key industrial zones around Ashulia and Savar.
Wednesday’s ECNEC meeting is also expected to review several other major projects, including a Meghna River erosion protection programme in Bhola, an integrated rural infrastructure development project covering Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts, the Universal Social Infrastructure Development Project-2, disaster shelter construction and rehabilitation, gas exploration and production drilling projects, power distribution upgrades in Sylhet Division, and a nationwide programme to expand kidney dialysis services at medical college and district hospitals.