Three Mega Projects Planned to Boost Connectivity

The government is moving ahead with three major infrastructure projects aimed at transforming the country’s transport and communication network: a second Padma Bridge at the Paturia-Daulatdia point, a second Jamuna Bridge, and a dedicated Dhaka-Chattogram Expressway.

According to documents from a high-level meeting between the Bridges Division and the Ministry of Finance held on March 1, the projects have been placed among key priorities in the budget planning for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Second Padma Bridge

Under the Bridges Division’s master plan, the proposed second Padma Bridge is targeted for completion by 2032. The 4.9-kilometre multipurpose bridge is expected to connect Paturia and Goalanda, linking National Highways N5 and N7.

Officials believe the bridge will help cut travel time between Dhaka and the western and southwestern parts of the country, while also improving freight movement from Mongla seaport and the Benapole and Darshana land ports.

Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf said a fresh study is now underway to determine the most viable and economically effective location for the bridge.

Although an earlier study had already been conducted, officials are reassessing whether the project will ultimately connect Paturia-Goalanda or Aricha-Nagarbari.

Second Jamuna Bridge

The government is also planning a second bridge over the Jamuna River to ease growing traffic congestion in the northern region.

With the approach roads to the existing Jamuna Bridge being widened to six lanes, pressure has increased at the bridge’s four-lane entry point, creating a major bottleneck. To address this, authorities are aiming to complete an alternative crossing by 2033.

Feasibility studies are currently examining several possible routes, including the Bogura-Jamalpur corridor and the Balasi Ghat-Dewanganj Ghat route.

Dhaka-Chattogram Expressway

The Bridges Division is also working on a plan for a high-speed elevated expressway between Dhaka and Chattogram to handle rising traffic on one of the country’s busiest economic corridors.

More than 30,000 vehicles currently use the route each day, making it a crucial artery for trade and passenger movement.

Unlike a separate proposal to widen the existing highway to six lanes, this plan focuses on building an uninterrupted elevated route to ensure faster and smoother travel.

The expressway is expected to connect with the proposed Outer Ring Circular and the Mawa Expressway, creating a more efficient logistics network for transporting import-export goods between the eastern and western regions of the country.

Massive Investment Plan

The Bridges Division now has 57 ongoing and planned projects in its development pipeline.

The total estimated cost of these projects stands at Tk 12,96,573 crore, with Tk 12,59,925 crore expected to be spent on the upcoming mega-projects alone.