Transport Sector in Bangladesh

 Government policies on transport planning

Transport planning is the part of the government’s overall planning policies. In order to
ensure the development in the transport sector various 2 and 5 years planning having specific
objectives to improve the sector had been planned.

FFYP (1973-78): First Five Year Plan, Budget 11.65%

The prime objective was to ensure a speedy rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged
transport system. The objectives were-
i) Increase in efficiency and capacity
ii) Provision for cheap and adequate service for common people

FTYP (1978-80): First Two Year Plan, Budget 13.79%

Objective was to complete the works which would not be completed in FFYP

SFYP (1980-1985): Second Five Year Plan, Budget  11.59%

-Improving rural transport
-Private sector was allowed to play an extended role

TFYP (1985-90): Third Five Year Plan, Budget 12.01%

-To decentralize administrative authority to upazilla and improve network within upazillas

FFYP (1990-1995): Fourth Five Year Plan, Budget 16.50%

Emphasis on upazilla connecting roads was reduced and emphasis was given on selected
projects on economic justification for a more balanced network. The main objectives of the
Plan were:

(a) accelerating economic growth to achieve an overall annual GDP growth rate of 5 per
cent
(b) poverty alleviation and employment generation through human resources
development
(c) increased self-reliance.

STYP (1995-97): Second Two Year Plan, Budget  18.81%

In 1995, Awami League government found that their political plan did not match with the
plan taken by previous government. So they took time by preparing another 2 year plan.

FFYP (1997-2002): Fifth Five Year Plan, Budget 14.20%

Main objectives:

(a) Alleviation of poverty through accelerated economic growth (on an average 7 per cent
per annum) during the Plan period to bring about a noticeable improvement in the
standard of living of people by raising their level of income and meeting their basic

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 needs. In this context, alleviation of poverty will be considered as synonymous with
development.
(b) Generation of substantial employment opportunities and increase in productivity
through an optimal choice of the traditional labour intensive and new capitalintensive
technologies.
(c) Improvement in the quality of life of the rural population through mobilisation of the
rural masses and resources at their command as well as channelling increased volume
of invisible resources to the rural economy so as to attain an accelerated growth in
rural employment and income.
(d) Transformation of the rural socio-economic structure into a more equitable, just and
productive one and empowerment of the rural poor through ensuring their increased
access to resources.
(e) Attainment of food production beyond the self-sufficiency level in the shortest
possible time and of higher production of diversified high-valued export goods.
(f) Human resources development with emphasis on compulsory primary education and
vocational training and foundation laying of a knowledge based society.
(g) Development of necessary infrastructure, utilities and other services needed to
promote growth, particularly in the private sector, with special attention to generation
of power, exploitation of gas, coal and other natural resources and to the development
of rural infrastructure, including market outlets, for marketing rural products within
and outside the locality.
(h) Development of industries essentially based on comparative advantage of the country.
(i) Development of hitherto neglected areas like the north-west region, Chittagong Hill
Tracts and coastal areas.
(j) Achievement of a lower population growth rate (1.32 per cent) by the terminal year of
the Plan, coupled with provision of necessary health care and improved nutrition of
mother and child.
(k) Strengthening of the country’s scientific and technological base with emphasis on
research and development of new generation technologies, including in areas such as
electronics and genetic engineering.
(l) Protection and preservation of environment by putting in place adequate regulatory
regimes and effective institutions, keeping in view the need for regeneration,
recycling and optimum exploitation of natural resources consistent with sustainable
development.
(m) Closing the gender gap, giving priority to women’s education, training and
employment and special support for education of the girl child.

SFYP (2011-2015): Sixth Five Year Plan, Budget Tk 9.6 Trillion (19.6% of GDP)

Objectives:

I. Income and Poverty

(a) Attaining average real GDP growth rate of 7.3% per year over the Plan period.
(b) Reduction in the head-count poverty ratio by about 10 percentage points.

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 (c) Creating good jobs for the large pool of under-employed and new labor force entrants
by increasing the share of employment in the industrial sector from 17 percent to 25
percent.
(d) Increasing the contribution of factor productivity in economic growth to 10 percent.
(e) Overseas employment of skilled labour to be increased from 35% to 50%

II. Human Resource Development (Education, Health and Population)

(a) Achieving 100 percent net enrollment rate for primary education.
(b) Increasing enrollment rate in 12th class to 60%.
(c) Percentage of cohort reaching grade 5 to be increased to 100 from current 55 percent.
(d) Under 5 mortality rate to be reduced to 50 per 1000 live birth.
(e) Infant Mortality Rate to be reduced to 31 per 1000 live birth.
(f) Maternal Mortality Ratio to be reduced to 143 per 100,000 live births.
(g) Immunization, measles (percent of children under 12 months) to be increased to 10
percent.
(h) Births attended by skilled health staff to be increased to 50 percent.
(i) Reduction of Total Fertility Rate to 2.2
(j) Increasing Contraceptive Prevalence Rate to 72 percent.

III. Water and Sanitation

(a) Safe drinking water to be made available for all urban population.
(b) Proportion of rural population with access to safe drinking water to be increased to
96.5 percent.
(c) Proportion of urban population with access to sanitary latrines to be increased to 100
percent.
(d) Proportion of rural population with access to sanitary latrines to be raised to 90
percent.

IV. Energy and Infrastructure

(a) Generation of electricity to be increased to 15,457 MW by FY15 such that the target
of 20,000 MW electricity generated by FY21 is attained.
(b) Electricity coverage to be increased to 68 percent.
(c) To increase energy efficiency by 10%
(d) Improve railways and waterways as energy efficient multi-modal transport system to
reduce carbon emission.
(e) Production of natural gas to reach about 4500 mmcfd by December 2015
(f) Optimizing domestic production of primary energy resources including renewable
energies.
(g) Expanding access of the poor to primary and secondary energy sources through
affordable pricing and targeted distribution.
(h) Construction of 6.15km. long Padma Multipurpose Bridge at Mawa-Janjira;
(i) Construction of about 26 km. long Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

V. Gender Equality and Empowerment

(a) Female to male ratio in tertiary education to be raised from current 32 percent to 60
percent.
(b) The ratio of literate female to male for age group 20-24 to be raised to 100 percent
from the current 85 percent.

VI. Environmental Sustainability

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 (a) Increase productive forest coverage by 2 percentage points.
(b) Improve air quality in Dhaka and other large cities and enacted Clean Air Act
(c) Treat all urban waste water by FY15 to clean river waters
(d) Promote Zero discharge of industrial effluents.
(e) Urban wetlands are restored and protected in line with Wetland Conservation Act
(f) At least 10% of the wetland in peak dry season is protected as aquatic sanctuary
(g) Jolmahal leasing system phased out in favour of pro-poor community based
management
(h) Risk Atlas for at least 7 cities/towns developed by 2015.
(i) 500 meter wide permanent green belt established and protected along the coast
(j) Eco-tourism promoted at least in 15 protected areas and ECAs
(k) Comprehensive Marine Resources Management Plan developed
(l) Land zoning for sustainable land/water use completed.
(m) Environmental, Climate Change and disaster risk reduction considerations are
integrated into project design, budgetary allocations and implementation process.
(n) Canals and natural water flows of Dhaka and other major cities restored.

VII. Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

(a) Increase public spending on Research and Development to 1 percent of GDP by FY15
and 1.4 percent by FY 21.
(b) Establish compulsory ICT education at secondary level by FY13 and extend it to the
primary level by FY21.
(c) Establish tele-centre /community e-centre with internet facilities at all union level.
(d) Establish computer laboratory at the primary government school with 5 computers per
school.
(e) Introduce of E-governance at all executive levels of government and at all district
level.
(f) Introduce electronic GD and FIR at all Police Stations in Dhaka.
(g) Raise telephone density to 70 percent.
(h) Expand Broad Band to 30 percent.
(i) Introduce Wireless Broad Band (Wi Max) across the country.
(j) Introduce digitalization of land records

The main elements of the overall transport strategy for the Sixth Plan were as follows:
The two sea ports will be further developed and linked to Dhaka.
(a) Railway linkages will be established between the east and south west zones of the
country. Expansion of line capacity by double tracking of major rail corridors,
rehabilitate/upgrade & replace old aged railway track, bridges, signalling and other
assets, acquiring modern rolling stocks to provide speedy, environment friendly and
cost effective transport facilities to the national, regional and international traffic will
be made.
(b) The development strategy for the rural transport will be reoriented for efficient
external access through optimal integration of road and inland water transport and off-
road internal accesses.
(c) Efforts will be made to develop some of the critical inter-modal transport network that
allows connectivity of neighboring countries to the two sea ports of Bangladesh.

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 (d) Efforts will also be made to fully participate in global and regional transport
connectivity initiatives that help develop the land route links between South Asia and
East Asia through Bangladesh.
(e) Improvement in resource mobilization will be made through introduction of user
charges and fees by the agencies in all areas of transport and for all use of transport
network.
(f) Provision of required incentive packages for the private sector for greater
participation will be ensured, not only in transport services, but also for infrastructure
building.
(g) Identification and implementation of preventive, emergency and post-disaster
mitigation measures will be made.
(h) Transport development strategy framework will be broadened by incorporating the
vital urban transport dimension starting with improvement in transport services of
greater Dhaka city.
(i) Assurance of deficit-free operation of Bangladesh Railway as envisaged in Railway
Recovery Program will be fulfilled.
(j) Improvement of sub-standard ferry operation on major road networks will be made.
Introduction of necessary institutional reforms to address the operational constraints
of the port transit system with special reference to containers and privatization
measures for port transit system will be made.
(k) Adequate care will be taken while developing transport network and service so that
these do not cause environmental pollution and affect ecological balance.
(l) Attention will be given to improve transport safety standards including specific
attention to women safety in all means of transportation with a view to substantially
reducing the incidence of accidents
(m) Provision of duty-free or import of engines and spares at low duty for mechanization
of country boat will be made.

SFYP (2016-2020): Seventh Five Year Plan, Budget  Tk 7.25 trillion in constant
FY2016 prices. Tk 21.98 trillion in nominal prices (19.5% of yearly GDP on average):

Broad development goals:

(a) building a secular tolerant liberal progressive democratic state

(b) promoting good governance and curbing corruption
(c) promoting sustainable human development
(d) reducing the growth of population
(e) instituting a prudent macroeconomic policy mix
(f) promoting a favourable industrialization and trade policy regime
(g) addressing globalization and regional cooperation challenges
(h) ensuring adequate supply of electricity and fuel
(i) achieving food security
(j) making available adequate infrastructure
(k) pursuing environmental friendly development, and
(l) building a digital Bangladesh

Goals related specifically to the transportation sector:

(a) Construction of 6.15 km. long Padma Multipurpose Bridge at Mawa-Janjira

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 (b) Construction of about 26 km. long Dhaka Elevated Expressway
(c) Construction of Dhaka-Chittagong expressway and upgradation of Dhaka-Chittagong
highway to 4-6 lane.
(d) Improve the multimodal transport network with a significant increase in the share of
rail and waterways traffic
(e) Reduce urban traffic congestion with focus on Dhaka and Chittagong cities
(f) Reduce the incidence of road accidents
(g) Completion of the following high Priority Mega Projects:
(h) Padma Bridge, Deep Sea Port Project; MRT-6 project; LNG terminal project; Payra
Port Project; Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project; Rampal Coal Power Project;
Matarbari Coal Power Project

Table: Development Results Framework (DRF) for Monitoring the Seventh Five Year
Plan (2016-2020):

Performance Data Lead Baseline Target Target Target Target Target

Indicators Source Ministry/ (Year) (2016) (2017) (2018) (2019) (2020)
(Name of Division
Institutions
& Reports)
National Priority: Transport and Communication
Outcome Statement 6: Improved infrastructure for higher economic growth
Length of
targeted 98
RHD MoRTB 377 389 459 519 556
four-lane (2014)
road (km)
Share of
RHD
highway
road
76%
network in RHD MoRTB 78% 79% 81% 83% 85%
(2014)
good and
fair
condition (%
of network)
Length of
Metro Rail
Transit
DTCA MoRTB 0 (2015) 0 0 0 10 20
(MRT)
network
(km)
Upazila and
Union Road
network in LGD, 33%
LGED 43% 52% 62% 72% 80%
good and MoLGRDC (2014)
fair
condition
Length of
targeted new
2877
railway BR MoR 2925.5 3076.5 3273.5 3543.5 3733.3
(2014)
network
(km)
Length of BR MoR 0 7 182 540 901 1110.5

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targeted new
double
railway
network
(km)
Length of
navigable
BIWTA BIWTA 4000 4200 4500 4850 52550 5750
waterways
(km)

 Major Transport Related Studies

Ongoing Studies

• Design Review and Construction Supervision of Multi-lane Road Tunnel under the
River Karnaphuli, Chittagong

Previous

• Dhaka Integrated Transport Study (DITS), 1992-1994

• Dhaka Urban Transport Plan (DUTP), 1997-1999
• Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for Dhaka City, 2004
• Dhaka Urban Transport Network Studies (DHUTS), 2009
• Review of DTCB Act and Motor Vehicle Ordinance (MVO) 2010-2011
• Major (Flyover) Project in Dhaka, 2012
• BRT and Corridor Restructuring Implementation Study and Preliminary Design work
for the Uttara – Mohakhali – Ramna – Sadar Ghat Corridor in Dhaka, 2013
• Revision of Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP), 2014
• Dhaka Bus Network and Regulatory Reform Implementation Study and Design Work,
2016
• Feasibility Study for Construction of Dhaka-Ashulia & East-West Elevated
Expressway (2016-17)
•

Previous Projects
• CASE Project
-WB funded
-Road infrastructure component has been implemented by DNCC and DSCC
• Clearing House Project
-JICA funded
-Introducing integrated ticketing system
• Dhaka Integrated Traffic Management Project

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 -JICA funded
-Developing pilot project in 4 critical intersections (Gulshan-1, Mohakhali, Paltan &
Fulbaria)
• Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport- Package 3: Operational Design and
Business Model (ODBM) (2013-17)
• Eastern Bangladesh Bridge Improvement Project (EBBIP)

Ongoing Projects
• Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project (PMBP)
• The Kanchpur, Meghna and Gumti 2nd Bridges Construction and Existing Bridges
Rehabilitation Project
•
 Modal Share

 Ministries and Department Involved in Transportation Sector

 Road Classification

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 Administrative Road Classification in Bangladesh

 Functional Road Hierarchy in DNCC and DSCC

 Structural and physical problems in Waterways in Bangladesh

1. Siltation and erosion adversely effected channel. Reduce depth and maneuverability,
requires dredging
2. River banks are shifted due to erosion and hence the relocation of port becomes necessary

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3. Massive Flood
4. Poor condition of river course
5. Manual loading and unloading system. Fully mechanized system yet to be established
6. Bad storage facilities for major ports
7. No specific training for drivers
8. Under development of ports docks and carriers
9. Negligence in law enforcement

 Main causes of deterioration of waterways

1. Increased obstruction of SW and GW for irrigation purposes in dry season results in
reduced stream flows. (Example: Surma)
2. Reduction in cross boundary flow (from India). It is affecting the condition of Gorai and
Kushiyara.
3. Flood control and navigation structure adversely affecting natural water flow.
4. Shifting up of offtake channel during monsoon. This has affected Brahmaputra/Jamuna,
Old Brahmaputra and Dholeswari.
5. Reduction of tidal volume due to construction of flood embankment. Rupsha-Passur
River.

The development of surface transport system in Bangladesh is constrained by three distinct

sets
of factors. These are:

(a) physical (e.g., difficult terrain, periodic flooding, poor soil condition, siltation and
erosion of rivers, inherited management weaknesses of BR etc.)
(b) low investments and maintenance
(c) inadequate institutional framework (involving four ministries, nine transport sector
SOEs and lack of co-ordination and autonomy of transport SOEs).

Brief Summary of the role of Five Year and Two Year Plans in the Transport Sector

Transport and communication play a vital role in facilitating the growth of the economy as
they provide the essential services for movement of people and goods and help exchange
business information.

During the First Plan, rehabilitation was the main focus of the transport sector programme to
regain the pre-liberation operational efficiency as well as to meet the rising traffic demand of
the economy. Tk.5.28 billion was allocated for this sector during the 27 Plan period. Major
physical achievements were reconstruction and rehabilitation of wardamaged bridges and
roads and construction of 8 new major road bridges, pavement of about 500 miles of new
roads, construction of two new airports (Dhaka International Airport and Saidpur Airport),
reconstruction of 6 old jetties of the Chittagong sea port, procurement of locomotives,

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coaches and wagons for the Bangladesh Railways and procurement of over 500 new buses by
the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation to augment urban transport.

Due to shortage of funds, a large number of on-going projects spilled over to the Two Year
Plan (TYP) and the major objective of the TYP was to complete those on-going projects.

During the Second Plan period, the allocation to the transport sector was Tk.12.86 billion
(1980 prices). In Railway sub-sector, 684 km of tracks were renewed. Railways have been
persistently incurring losses since liberation except in the years 1973/74, 1975/76 and
1978/79, which affected maintenance programme adversely as well as efficiency. The most
important development in the road sub-sector was the construction of Khulna-Mongla Road
and upgrading of the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Aricha Road. Out of 19 war-damaged
bridges, 11 were rehabilitated.

During the Third Plan period, a total of Tk.30.02 billion was allocated to the transport sector
(at 1984/85 prices). The share of various sub-sectors were: Railway Tk.8.36 billion (27.85%);
roads Tk.11.85 billion (39.48%); water transport Tk.5.71 billion (21.65%) and air transport
Tk.2.10 billion (6.99%). The salient feature of the road sector programme was undertaking
the Bangabandhu Bridge. Some 744 km of paved road and 10,249 metres of bridges and
culverts were constructed.

Under the Fourth Plan, the total allocation to the transport sector was Tk.63.73 billion
(including the Bangabandhu Bridge). An allocation of Tk.10.0 billion in 1989-90 prices was
earmarked for the Bangabandhu Bridge. Some 4,650 km of paved roads and 29,000 metres of
bridges and culverts were constructed/reconstructed. Most importantly, 3 bridges on major
rivers were completed. Under Railway sub-sector, 693 km Metre Gauge (MG) and 287 km
Broad Gauge (BG) railway track were rehabilitated, 84 Narrow Gauge (NG) and 24 BG
bridges were completed and a new railway station was constructed at Tarakandi in 1992 for
transportation of fertiliser from the Jamuna Fertiliser Factory. A modern workshop for heavy
repair and major overhauling services with an annual target of 120 locomotives was set up at
Parbatipur in 1992. During the Plan period, 21 BG passenger carriages, 3 (2 MG and 1 BG)
cranes and 9 MG locomotives were procured. In the Fourth Plan period, the Civil Aviation
Authority of Bangladesh took up projects for strengthening of runways, extension of
international passenger terminal, construction of cargo complex, installation of boarding
bridge and construction and development of airports and related facilities.

The sectoral allocation during 1995/96 was Tk.21.53 billion. Against this allocation,
utilisation during this year was Tk.20.10 billion. In 1996/97, allocation was Tk.23.32 billion,
against which utilisation up to January 1997 was Tk.9.68 billion.

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