Dhaka, April 26 (V7N) — Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam informed the Jatiya Sangsad on Monday that the government has finalized an ambitious Master Plan 2040, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to significantly expand the country's high-capacity road network. Under this plan, a total of 496.50 kilometers of highways will be upgraded to 6-lane thoroughfares, while an additional 102 kilometers will be expanded to 8-lane highways by the year 2040.

The Minister shared these details while responding to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Md. Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas (Pabna-5). He emphasized that these infrastructure developments are critical for reducing traffic congestion, improving regional connectivity, and sustaining national economic growth through enhanced logistics and road capacity.

Current Highway Statistics: Providing a snapshot of the existing network managed by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the Minister noted that the country currently maintains 22,736.580 km of highways. The breakdown of high-capacity roads is as follows:

  • 4-lane highways: 883.61 km

  • 6-lane highways: 10.488 km

  • 8-lane highways: 17.347 km

Fast Track Projects and MRT Expansion: Minister Rabiul Alam clarified the status of "Fast Track" projects within his ministry. He noted that while several major initiatives under the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) are designated as Fast Track projects to accelerate urban mobility, no current projects under the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) hold this specific designation.

The designated Fast Track MRT projects currently include:

  • MRT Line-6 (Dhaka’s first metro rail)

  • MRT Line-1

  • MRT Line-5 (Northern Route)

  • MRT Line-5 (Southern Route)

The Minister reiterated that the government is focusing on completing these metro rail lines to provide a modern, efficient mass rapid transit system for Dhaka and its surrounding areas, alongside the long-term highway expansion projects aimed at transforming the national transport landscape over the next 14 years.

END/AJ/RH