Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially inaugurated the eagerly anticipated 11.5-kilometer Dhaka Elevated Expressway’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Farmgate section, a move expected to significantly alleviate the city’s traffic congestion. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Kawla end of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, where the Prime Minister unveiled the expressway’s nameplate. A prayer for the well-being of the nation and its citizens followed.
Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, as they paid the toll at the Kawla end. After the inauguration, colorful balloons were released into the sky. Md. Monjur Hossain, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Bridges Authority and Secretary of the Bridges Division, provided a brief overview of the project.
Subsequently, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proceeded to the Old Trade Fair Ground at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to attend a civic rally celebrating the grand opening of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway. There, she unveiled an inaugural plaque. Although the Airport-Farmgate section was formally inaugurated, it is set to open to traffic the following day.
This section spans approximately 11.5 kilometers and features 15 boarding ramps, with two ramps at Banani and Mohakhali remaining closed temporarily. The maximum speed limit on the expressway will be 60 kilometers per hour, and it is restricted to motor vehicles only, with three-wheelers, bicycles, and pedestrians prohibited. Additionally, motorcycles are not allowed on the expressway at this time.
The toll rates for the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Farmgate section of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway have been established by the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, ranging from Taka 80 to Taka 400, based on vehicle type and category. The entire elevated expressway spans 46.73 kilometers, covering various key points in Dhaka.
Initially, vehicles on the expressway will have a speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour, allowing them to cover the 11-kilometer distance from the HSIA to Farmgate in approximately 10 minutes. The total project cost is estimated at Taka 8,940 crore, with the Bangladesh government providing Taka 2,413 crore in viability gap funding.
The First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) Company Ltd serves as the investor company, with Italian Thai Development Public Company Ltd holding 51 percent shares, China Shandong International Economic and Technical Co-operation Group (CSI) owning 34 percent, and Sinohydro Corporation Ltd holding 15 percent shares. Construction for the second phase from Banani Railway Station to Moghbazar Railway Crossing is progressing rapidly.
Over the past 15 years, Bangladesh has undertaken several infrastructure projects, including the completion of mega-projects like the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, MRT Line-6 (Bangladesh’s first metro rail project), and the Chandra-Elenga four-lane highway. Other crucial projects, such as the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel and the Padma Bridge rail link, are nearing completion, further boosting the country’s economic growth.
