‘Dhaka-Sylhet highway six-laning targeted for June 2029’

Road Transport and Bridges, Railway and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said on Saturday that the government is working 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 were being expedited to meet the target, while steps were being taken to identify and resolve problems quickly in sections where progress was unsatisfactory.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inspecting construction work under the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor Road Development Project in the Shashai area of Bijoynagar upazila in Brahmanbaria.
Rabiul said the Dhaka-Sylhet highway is one of the country’s most important national highways, playing a vital role in connecting the capital with the north-eastern region. 
The government, he said, was taking effective measures to upgrade it to six lanes as quickly as possible.
He said land acquisition had reached around 56% following initiatives taken over the past six months, adding that the process would be completed within the next two months.

Once land acquisition is completed, there will be greater scope to accelerate construction, he added.
Of the project’s 13 packages, work on eight is progressing satisfactorily, while progress on the remaining five is below expectations, Rabiul said. Problems affecting the delayed packages were being identified and addressed to speed up implementation.
He stressed the need for all relevant agencies to work in coordination to complete the project on time, noting that delays could affect the country’s economy, trade, tourism and regional connectivity.
During his daylong visit, the minister also inspected the Kanchpur-Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria and Habiganj sections of the project and issued directives to officials on implementation.
Officials from the Road Transport and Highways Division, Roads and Highways Department and project contractors were present.

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