[🇧🇩] City Buses, Metro Rail, Urban Transport & City Road Infra

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Ashulia Elevated Expressway Update

 

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Hazrat Shahjalal Airport 3rd Terminal Update 2024

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh plans Tk 2.0t investment in transport and communication for next two fiscals

The government plans to substantially increase public investments across key sectors such as road, rail, bridge, shipping, civil aviation, and telecommunications, aiming to transform Bangladesh into an upper middle-income country by 2031 and a smart, developed country by 2041. According to the 'Me

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh plans Tk 2.0t investment in transport and communication for next two fiscals
Published :
Apr 29, 2024 13:57
Updated :
Apr 29, 2024 13:57

The government plans to substantially increase public investments across key sectors such as road, rail, bridge, shipping, civil aviation, and telecommunications, aiming to transform Bangladesh into an upper middle-income country by 2031 and a smart, developed country by 2041.

According to the 'Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)', the government plans to allocate Tk 963.9 billion in the fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25), escalating to Tk 1.06 trillion in FY26, as per a UNB agency report.

This increase follows an investment of Tk 876.3 billion for the current fiscal year, emphasising a significant boost in funding for various development programmes.

The policy document highlights the critical role of an integrated and cost-effective transport and communication system in fostering economic growth, enhancing trade, and ensuring social integration.

It states that an efficient transport and logistics system is essential for smooth supply chain management and to effectively compete on a global scale.

Specifically, the Road Transport and Highways Division is implementing projects to establish an advanced and sustainable road transport system, including the construction of multi-lane highways, elevated expressways, and new bridges.

These efforts are complemented by plans to widen 1100 km of highways, repair and maintain 1250 km highways, and rebuild 450 km of highways with 7300 metres of bridges and culverts.

In Dhaka city, the government is focusing on reducing traffic congestion by advancing metro rail lines, a move poised to significantly improve urban mobility.

The railway sector is also undergoing transformation under a 30-year master plan aimed at making it a dependable, affordable, modern, and people-friendly mode of transport. Initiatives include connecting every district with a railway network, upgrading tracks, and modernising the signalling system. By FY26, the government aims to construct 275 km of new railway track and reconstruct 210 km of existing lines.

The document also outlines ambitious plans for the water transport system, noting its importance in the integrated multi-modal transport framework.

The Ministry of Shipping is executing extensive programmes for the enhancement of inland waterways, seaports, and land ports, along with significant dredging efforts to maintain river navigability.

Amid rising demand for air travel, both domestically and internationally, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism is undertaking projects to expand passenger handling capacities and enhance facilities at airports. These upgrades are part of a broader strategy to position Bangladesh as a regional hub for international passenger transport.

These comprehensive plans not only aim to modernise Bangladesh's infrastructure but also serve as a cornerstone for the country's ambitious economic development goals.

 

[Saif]

Is VAT on metro justified?

City residents had to put up with a lot of hassle in terms of dust, pollution and dug-out roads or overlapping barricaded medians while the first metro rail (MRT-6) was being built. There long delays and the project had dragged on for years, but residents put up with all the problems associated wit

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Is VAT on metro justified?
SYED MANSUR HASHIM
Published :
Apr 30, 2024 22:05
Updated :
Apr 30, 2024 22:05

City residents had to put up with a lot of hassle in terms of dust, pollution and dug-out roads or overlapping barricaded medians while the first metro rail (MRT-6) was being built. There long delays and the project had dragged on for years, but residents put up with all the problems associated with it in the hope that one day they would ride on this advanced mode of transportation. It promised to be fast, clean and comfortable. In that regard the metro rail service has delivered. To popularise the service, the government made travel by metro rail (MRT) VAT-free. While users of all other modes of public transportation must pay variable rates of Value-Added-Tax (VAT), MRT was exempt from it. It has become more than simply a rail service---a pride of the city.

The national board of revenue (NBR) has decided, in principle that the grace period is now over and intends to levy VAT on MRT fares from 2025, i.e. from next fiscal year. There has been a lot of talk against this but there are arguments for and against this proposed move. People in general are already under tremendous pressure of inflation and cost of everything has gone through the roof and stayed there. The metro service provided much reprieve to the people who had previously had to suffer hours of gridlock on the streets of the MRT-6 route.

That changed with the introduction of the MRT which provided a train every 10 minutes and with fares ranging from Tk20.00 - Tk100.00 have been heaven sent. No more pollution, no more sitting in non-air-conditioned modes of transportation. All this carries a price tag of course. Getting back to the subject of VAT, the NBR has made it clear that all other modes of air-conditioned public transportation are subjected to VAT payment and MRT should not be an exemption. The government for its part has kept the service VAT-free for a year and now intends to levy the same type of VAT it has imposed on other public modes of transportation, on land, water or air.

The VAT law exempted passengers from paying any VAT till June 30, 2024 and this policy is being reviewed. However, given the massive popularity MRT has earned, the revenue authorities should rethink the rate of VAT imposition. According to a report published in this newspaper, it would be more prudent to impose VAT at a staggered pace. Although VAT experts have pointed out that even a 15 per cent imposition would not have a huge impact at passenger level. A Tk20.00 ticket would end up costing Tk23.00 and the highest-value ticket presently costing Tk100.00 would cost Tk115.00.

What is perhaps not being talked about much is the fact that the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has been giving incentive to passengers to procure their own travel passes that carry 10-year validity and is tied to their national ID (NID). These travel cards are pre-paid and can be topped up any time. More importantly, DMTCL gives a 10 per cent discount to passengers who have registered and procured these passes. Hence, if the government truly believes it must impose VAT at all costs, it should make more effort to popularise travel passes and the only way that can be done is by phasing out ticket vending machines gradually so that people get used to the idea of utilising travel passes. One should not forget that daily usage of the MRT since introduction in December 2022 now averages 300,000 passengers. Hence, any sudden and dramatic change to ticket price should be avoided.​

 

[Bilal9]

 

[Bilal9]

After Line 6, other lines (1 & 5) of Dhaka Metro start construction and kick-offs

 

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Dhaka Metro Rail Line 6 to be extended to Tongi in the North end (1 KM North of Diabari Depot) and from Motijheel Downtown to Kamalapur Logistics Hub in the South end. Once completed, Tongi to Kamalapur trip will take 48 Minutes (currently takes almost two hours in traffic jams).

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Metro MRT Line 1 Eastern End Pital Ganj Depot construction update. Pital Ganj is farther East compared to Purbachal suburbs.

 

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Slow rides through midtown Dhaka's suburbs - Banani and Gulshan

 

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Horticultural improvements in Purbachal Freeway, Eastern Dhaka

 

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Ashulia Elevated Expressway, Current Status

 

[Bilal9]

New Architectural showcases in Dhaka

 

[Saif]

Dhaka Elevated Expressway construction almost halted

The works of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway project have come to a near halt following altercations between the three foreign investment and shareholding companies implementing the project over ownership of shares...

www.newagebd.net

Dhaka Elevated Expressway construction almost halted
Shahin Akhter 13 May, 2024, 23:16

A file photo of Dhaka Elevated Expressway project. | — New Age photo

The works of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway project have come to a near halt following altercations between the three foreign investment and shareholding companies implementing the project over ownership of shares.

Currently, the Thailand-based Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited owns 51 per cent share of the project, while China Shandong International Economic and Technical Co-operation Group (CSI) and Sinohydro Corporation Limited own 34 per cent and 15 per cent shares of the project respectively.

The Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited filed an appeal at the Appellate Division on Monday after the High Court on Sunday dismissed their appeal for a status quo on the transfer of shares.

Earlier this year on January 28, the Italian-Thai company filed a case with the High Court challenging the demand of the two Chinese contractors for transfer of shares.

Elevated expressway project director AHM Shakhawat Akhtar told New Age on Monday that the Italian-Thai company did not pay an instalment of interest of the loan taken under this public-private-partnership project triggering this conflict.

'Because of the legal battle between the three shareholders the pace of the work is slow now,' he said, adding, 'but our work is ongoing at Hatirjheel and Moghbazar areas.'

On Monday afternoon, a visit at the project site at Moghbazar saw no work going on there.

In Hatirjheel area near the BFDC level crossing, some workers were seen working at the project site.

The 46.73-kilometre expressway project connects Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway at Kutubkhali, near Jatrabari.

The project was undertaken in 2011 to reduce traffic congestion in the capital and save time and money.

It was revised in 2013 due to alignment changes, and construction began in 2015 at an estimated cost of Tk 8,940 crore.

The First Dhaka Elevated Expressway Company Ltd, a joint venture of the Italian-Thai and two Chinese companies, is implementing the project under the supervision of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority.

The three companies signed loan agreements with the China Exim Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in March 2019.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Airport-Farmgate section of the expressway on September 2, 2023.

The exit ramp of the expressway's Karwan Bazar section, in front of the BFDC, opened to traffic on March 20 this year.

As of Monday, the project's overall progress was 75 per cent, said the project director.

Barrister Imtiaz Farooq, on behalf of the Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd, told New Age on Monday that they filed an appeal with the Appellate Division on Monday.

He also said that after hearing, the Appellate Division chamber judge referred the hearing of the appeal before the full bench on next Thursday.

The statement that his client has failed to pay dues of the loan in time is not true, he added.

Senior advocate barrister Mohammad Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury, on behalf of the China Shandong International Economic and Technical Co-operation Group, told New Age that according to the loan agreements with the China Exim Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China the three companies were to pay back the loan in instalments on January 21 and July 21 every year.

In case of failure in paying instalments, if the two Chinese companies pay the loan instalments of the Italian-Thai company, they will get 50 per cent share of the Italian-Thai company as per the agreements, he said.

This year as the Italian-Thai company did not pay the instalment, the two Chinese companies cleared the payment, he mentioned.

With the High Court dismissing the Italian-Thai company's appeal on Sunday there is no obstacle in transferring the shares to the two Chinese companies, he added.

Major creditors, including Bangkok Bank, have agreed to inject fresh liquidity into the cash-strapped Italian-Thai company, to support its business operations, according to a report of Bangkok Post published on this April 18.

Dhaka Elevated Expressway project director said that this is an internal matter between the shareholders.

Replying to a question he said that they have targeted to complete the works of the expressway by December this year.​

 

[Saif]

Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil Highway: Crucial projects held back by land issues

The expansion work of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway has been severely hampered due to long delays in land acquisition and the moving of utility lines.

www.thedailystar.net

Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil Highway: Crucial projects held back by land issues

Photo: Sheikh Nasir

The expansion work of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway has been severely hampered due to long delays in land acquisition and the moving of utility lines.

The project authority has already hired contractors for all 13 packages but could not hand over the land, leading to the contractors claiming compensations and time extensions.

The Sylhet-Tamabil expansion project is about to face a similar fate, creating grounds for time and cost escalation.

The road expansion works are facing obstacles because a separate project launched five years ago to acquire land failed to hand over the land.

The two projects involve around Tk 20,500 crore.

Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil road corridor is a part of the Asian Highway-1, which plans to link India's Meghalaya and West Bengal to Bangladesh through Tamabil-Sylhet-Kanchpur-Dhaka-Jashore-Benapole.

Their expansion works are facing obstacles because a separate project launched five years ago to acquire land failed to hand over the land.

Roads and Highways Department sources said apart from land acquisition being a complex and sensitive process, a lack of sincerity among a section of officials at the local administration was allegedly responsible for the delays.

Road Transport and Highways Division's Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri on Thursday held a meeting to untangle the mess.

The meeting, attended by officials of seven district administrations, among others, set different deadlines for completing their work, meeting sources said.

Usually, land acquisition and the moving of utility lines and pipes are part of the infrastructure protect.

But RHD in September 2018 took up the separate project, involving Tk 3,586.04 crore, to acquire land and move the utility services by December 2020, to make room for Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil road expansion.

The aim was to complete the legwork ahead as these issues often hold up road expansion work. The government wanted the road expanded as soon as the expansion projects were approved.

Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) in September 2020 approved the project for turning 56.16km of the Sylhet-Tamabil Highway into four lanes, with service lanes of both sides. The project's deadline is June 2025.

In February 2021, Ecnec approved the Tk 16,918.59 crore Dhaka-Sylhet expansion project to turn the 209km road from Narayanganj's Kanchpur to Sylhet into four lanes, with service lines on both sides. The project's deadline is December 2026.

While the expansion projects moved forward, the land acquisition project was revised twice, taking the cost to Tk 7,975.31 crore and the deadline to December 2025.

Project sources said 66 land acquisition (LA) proposals were submitted to acquire 829.83 acres of land in seven districts for the Dhaka-Sylhet highway expansion.

But only the documents of around 60 acres of land under four LA proposals have so far been handed over to the project authorities, officials said.

The authorities could not take control of the land as the local administrations are yet to compensate the land owners, they said.

As this is an ADB-funded project, the project authorities would not be able to use the land unless owners receive full compensation, the sources said, adding that there were structures on the land as well.

AK Mohammad Fazlul Karim, project director of Dhaka-Sylhet highway expansion, said they have hired contractors for all 13 packages.

As per the conditions, they were supposed to handover the land to contractors within 270 days of signing of the contracts, he said.

Four of the contractors have already sought financial compensation for their unused equipment and manpower; and asked for deadline extensions, he told The Daily Star over phone.

Another project official, seeking anonymity, said, "The delay is making it very difficult to complete the project within the deadline. A deadline extension will ultimately increase cost."

Replying to a question, the official said their contractors were now working on a limited scale on the land under the RHD's possession.

Meanwhile, 30 LA proposals were submitted to acquire 335.77 acres of land in Sylhet district for the Sylhet-Tamabil road expansion.

No land was handed over to the project authorities, officials said.

Contacted, Project Director Abu Sayeed Md Nazmul Huda said they would implement the project under four packages.

They have already hired a China-Bangladesh joint venture firm for one package and the proposals to hire contractors, for two other packages, will soon be sent to the cabinet committee on government purchase, he said.

He added that the joint venture firm already mobilised their equipment and manpower, and will start work within a week on the land under the RHD's possession.

"The delay in land acquisition will ultimately cause a delay in implementation," he told The Daily Star yesterday.

An RHD official, not involved in these projects, said it might take another year or two for the land acquisition to finish. "But over two years is unacceptable. So, there's definitely lack of sincerity among some local administration officials."

He said there should have been clear deadlines to complete the land acquisition work for the local administration to comply with.

Contacted, land acquisition Project Director Fazle Rabbe, said land acquisition is a complicated process and sensitive matter.

"We have to follow all relevant laws and procedures so that no one is deprived," Fazle, also an additional chief engineer (Sylhet zone) of the RHD, told The Daily Star yesterday.

Replying to question, he said, "Nobody is causing delays intentionally. There is no negligence from any side .... We're all trying our best."​

 

[Saif]

Wait for Ctg expressway nearing end

The elevated expressway in Chattogram, the first one in the port city, would be opened to traffic soon, said project officials.

www.thedailystar.net

Wait for Ctg expressway nearing end

A drone shot of the almost finished 16.5km elevated expressway in Chattogram. The photo was taken in the port city's Lalkhan Bazar area recently. Photo: Collected

The elevated expressway in Chattogram, the first one in the port city, would be opened to traffic soon, said project officials.

"We have completed all other works except for installation of electric poles, lights, and CCTV cameras. We will also open a ramp alongside the main expressway," Mahfuzur Rahman, director of the project and executive engineer of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), told The Daily Star on May 12.

The project was initiated to ease the port city's perennial traffic congestion in 2017.

The authorities concerned have already finalised the toll rates of vehicles. Three-wheelers and motorcycles will not be allowed on the expressway.

The city dwellers now depend on only one thoroughfare, resulting in acute gridlocks at places. "It discourages foreign buyers and investors from visiting here," said traders.

The 16.5km expressway would speed up transportation of goods and commuters, which will save time and reduce costs.

CDA's Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams said the expressway would reduce travel time between Patenga and Tigerpass.

"It takes around two hours to travel between the two places. But the expressway will end our sufferings as it will take 15 to 20 minutes," he added.

The CDA engineer said the expressway will also facilitate travel to the southern part of the district through Bangabandhu Tunnel.

During a recent visit to the expressway's Lalkhan Bazar point, this correspondent found that installation of lights was in progress and road signs were being installed.

City planners earlier said this new route would help boost business activities in the country's commercial city.

Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Omar Hazzaz termed the expressway an asset for the city dwellers as well as business community since it would add a new dimension to the port city's communication system.

The expressway will encourage businesses to invest more in the port city as road connectivity would become more efficient, he added.

In July 2017, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the Chattogram Elevated Expressway project. The original cost of the project was Tk 3,250 crore and it was scheduled to be completed in June 2020.

But the government had to extend the deadline as the CDA failed to implement the project within the stipulated time.

At present, the cost of the project is Tk 4,298.95 crore, and the deadline has been moved to June this year, after two extensions.

The elevated expressway, a fully government-funded project, will be of four lanes.

It will have 14 ramps at nine points from Lalkhan Bazar to Patenga. The ramps will facilitate entry and exit at GEC, Tigerpass, Agrabad, Fakirhat, Nimtala Biswa Road, Customs area, CEPZ, Karnaphuli EPZ, and Cement crossing areas.

The expressway has been named after former city mayor and freedom fighter ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.​