Road Transport and Bridges, Railway and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has said the government aims to complete the upgrading of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway to six lanes and open it to traffic by June 2029.
He said land acquisition, construction and other related activities under the project are being expedited to meet the target.
The minister made the remarks while inspecting the progress of the Asian Development Bank-funded Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor Road Development Project at Shashai in Brahmanbaria’s Bijoynagar upazila.
He said the Dhaka-Sylhet highway is one of the country’s most important national highways and plays a key role in connecting Dhaka with the northeastern region.
Rabiul Alam said land acquisition under the project has reached around 56 percent following initiatives taken over the past six months. He expressed hope that the remaining land acquisition would be completed within two months.
He said construction work is progressing satisfactorily in eight of the project’s 13 packages, while progress in five packages remains below expectations.
The minister said the problems affecting the slower packages are being identified and addressed quickly to accelerate implementation.
He stressed coordination among all relevant agencies, saying delays in one section can affect the overall progress of the project.
Rabiul Alam said the highway is closely linked with the country’s economy, trade, tourism and regional connectivity.
Regarding temporary public inconvenience caused by construction, he said the authorities have been instructed to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and people while speeding up the work.
During his daylong visit, the minister also inspected the Kanchpur-Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria and Habiganj sections of the project and gave necessary directives to officials.
Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division Dr Mohammad Ziaul Haque, project officials, Roads and Highways Department officials and representatives of the contractors were present.
