Dhaka Elevated Expressway is the country’s first high-speed flyover. While the section from the airport to Karwan Bazar is operational, construction on the Malibagh-Kutubkhali stretch has remained stalled for nearly a year and a half. China’s EXIM Bank— the project’s financing partner—has suspended fund disbursement due to a dispute among the contracting firms.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) is responsible for the project’s implementation. BBA officials said that the contractors have managed to carry out some work at the Karwan Bazar-Malibagh section using their own funds. On the other hand, although construction began in the Malibagh-Kutubkhali section, it could not progress further. They expressed hope that the contractors will soon be able to resume full-scale work on this stretch.
The Dhaka Elevated Expressway is being constructed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) was formed to implement the project and operate the expressway after completion. Initially, the FDEE was solely owned by the Thailand-based construction firm Italian-Thai Development Company (ITD). Later, due to financial troubles, ITD sold 49 percent of its shares to two Chinese firms—China Shandong International Economic & Technical Cooperation Group (CSI) and SinoHydro Corporation. In return, the Chinese firms arranged loan financing for the project through China’s EXIM Bank.
Toward the end of 2023, complications arose between the three contractors over interest payments on the loan. The matter eventually reached courts in both Bangladesh and Singapore. In the final outcome, Italian-Thai (ITD) was ousted from the company’s ownership.
According to sources at the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, nearly all of the shares in First Dhaka Elevated Expressway Company are now held by the two Chinese contractors. Following Ital-Thai’s exit, changes are being made to several positions in the company’s Board of Directors and other management roles. Since the company’s restructuring has not yet been completed, China’s EXIM Bank has withheld fund disbursement. As a result, work on the Malibagh-Kutubkhali section remains suspended.
When asked about the issue, AHMS Akhtar, Project Director of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, told Bonik Barta, “We’re facing some problems keeping the construction going. The issue actually stems from complications between the contractors. Because of this, EXIM Bank has not released any additional funds to continue the work. Whatever little progress has been made so far was done using the contractors’ own equity.”
Project Director AHMS Akhtar added that many tasks have already started, “There have been changes in the company’s Board of Directors. Ownership has changed in the joint-stock company. The MD has also been replaced. After completing all these, the contractor is now in a position to begin work. We hope the construction will resume soon.”
A visit to the project area revealed that the Malibagh-Khilgaon road—which had been dug up at the beginning of construction—has now become cluttered with piles of garbage over the past one year and a half. The road was fenced off with sheets of tin for construction, most of which have now been stolen. The road divider has been broken. Numerous potholes and damaged sections have left the road in a severely degraded state.
Regarding the poor condition of the Malibagh-Khilgaon road due to the construction work, AHMS Akhtar said, “We’ve removed the fencing to make sure people don’t face problems while moving around.”
Dhaka Elevated Expressway’s total construction cost is estimated at BDT 89.4 billion. Bridge Authority officials claim that this project will increase road capacity along Dhaka’s north-south corridor. Once connected with the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway, it will improve communication between Dhaka EPZ and northern Bangladesh with the Chattogram port. As a result, the elevated expressway is expected to not only help reduce traffic congestion in Dhaka but also play a significant role in the country’s socioeconomic development.
The Dhaka Elevated Expressway is being built from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) to Kutubkhali in Jatrabari. A large portion of the route runs alongside the Airport-Kamalapur railway line. The main corridor of the elevated expressway stretches 19.73 kilometers from the airport to Kutubkhali. To allow entry and exit, 31 ramps are being built—15 for entry and 16 for exit. The total length of these ramps is about 27 kilometers.