STATUS PAPER ON ASIAN HIGHWAY Introduction BANGLADESH,

STATUS PAPER ON ASIAN HIGHWAY
BANGLADESH,
(September’ 2011)
Introduction
The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network (IGA) was adopted on November 18,
2003, which identifies 55 AH routes among 32 member countries totaling approximately 140,000 km (87,500
miles), Agreements have been signed by 32 countries to allow the highway to cross the continent and also
reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,
China, Japan, South Korea and Bangladesh.[1]
The Intergovernmental Agreement entered into force on 4thJuly 2005. Bangladesh, has signed the Agreement
on July 5, 2009. The Asian Highway network comprises more than 141,000 kilometers of roads, passing
through 32 member States.
Currently 16 percent of the network is
below the agreed minimum standards.
Upgrading and improving the network
to the requirements of Asian Highway
classification and design standards is
one of the main obligations of the
contracting parties within the agreement
The advanced highway network Would provide for greater trade and social interactions between Asian
countries, including personal contacts, project capitalizations, connections of major container terminals with
transportation points, and promotion of tourism via the new roadways.
Bangladesh has achieved a significant growth in the road transport sector over the past twenty years. Presently
the length of roads is about 271,000 kilometers (km), including about 21,000 km of major roads; 2,835 route
km of railways; 3,800 km of perennial waterways (which increases to 6,000 km during the monsoon) and the
ports of Mongla and Chittagong; and three international airports (Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet) and eight
domestic airports. Road transport has turned out to be the most dominant mode in carriage of passenger and
freight traffic in recent years. From 1975 to 2005, the modal share of road transport rose form 54% to 88% for
passenger traffic and from 35% to 80% for freight. The overall annual traffic growth rate has been nearly
8.2% for freight transport and 8.4% for passenger transport in the past 10 years. Modal share of passenger and
cargo traffic in the year 2005 are given in the table below:
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Modal Share of Passenger and Cargo Traffic
Modes
of Passenger
Transport
(billion)
km Passenger Modal Freight ton km Freight
Share
(billion)
Share
Road
98.4
88%
15.7
80%
Rail
4.2
4%
0.8
4%
IWT
8.9
8%
3.0
16%
Total
111.5
100
19.6
100
Modal
Source: Revival of Inland Waterways: Strategies and Options, Report, World Bank 2007
The Asian Highway (AH) and Bangladesh
Bangladesh is the world’s highest densely populated country. It is mainly composed of combined
delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. The economy is largely agricultural; jute, rice,
tea and sugarcane are the principal crops. Textile, jute products, paper, processed food and fertilizers
are the principal manufactured products. Most of the people are Bangalis. The official language is
Bengali, but English is also understood.
Background:
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with
West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon
rainy season, hampering economic development.
Bangladesh
h
Country profile:
147,570 km2 (94th)
56,977 sq mi
Population: 2010 estimate135,678,000
Area:
Capital:
GDP:
Dhaka
2010 estimate US$ $104.919
billion
GDP per Capita: US$ 373(2003)
Currency: Taka
Major ports: Chittagong and Mongla
Total Length of Roads:
Highways: total: 207,486 km
(i)paved:
19,773 km
(ii)unpaved: 187,713 km (1999) $275.7
billion (2004 est.)
Asian Highway Route : 1806 km
No. of Motor Vehicles: 138,451(1999)
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Roads and Highways Department under the Ministry of Communication is working to achieve a wellmaintained, cost effective and safe road network in the country. RHD is directly responsible for planning,
design, construction, improvement and maintenance of primary and secondary road network in the country,
which includes National and Regional Highways as well as Zilla Roads. There is a total length of about
21,040.28 km roads under RHD at present of which 18,209.72 km is paved and 2,830.56 km is in a state of
brick-pavement mostly. Of the total network, 3492.01 km is National Highways, 2268.26 km Regional
Highways and 13280.01 km Zilla Roads. Besides, RHD has under its management about 4507 bridges and
13751 culverts of different structures and lengths.
Implementation of Asian Highway Network in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has acceded to the Asian Highway Network on 8 November, 2009 to connect the country
with 28 countries. The total length of Asian Highway Network in Bangladesh is 1761 km excluding
the common part of AH1 & AH2 of 283 km..
The Asian Highway Routes identified and indicated in the fig. bellow:
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According to the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network, two routes are
considered as the international trade route that crosses more than one sub-region under the Asian
Highway connecting Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. The 3 routes in Bangladesh which are
selected to be the part of the Asian Highway Network are as follows: The 3 routes in Bangladesh
which are selected to be the part of the Asian Highway Network are as follows:
International Routes:
(i) Route AH-1: Benapole-Jessore-Narail-Bhatiapara-Mawa-Dhaka-Katchpur-Sarail-SylhetTamabil (length495 km)
(ii) Route AH-2: Banglabandh-Panchagarh-Rangpur-Bogra- Hatikamrul-Jamuna BridgeTangail-Dhaka-Katchpur-Sarail-Sylhet-Tamabil (length 805 km including 283 km of
overlapping part)
Sub-Regional Routes:
(iii)Route AH-41: Mongla Port –Jessore- Bonpara- Hatikamrul-Katchpur-Comilla-ChittagongCox's Bazar-Teknaf -Myanmar Border (length 752 km)
The total route length according to design standard of Asian Highway
AH Route
Length According to Design Standard (km)
I
II
III
Below III
AH1
AH2
AH41
20
29
472
785
723
-
23
Total Length in
Kilometer
495
805
752
UNESCAP has been working to provide secretarial support for implementation of the Asia Land Transport
Infrastructure Development (ALTID) project. Bangladesh is a party to it and generally agrees with the policy
of the UNESCAP in this regard. Government of Bangladesh (GOB) has been making relentless efforts to
construct the missing links of the Asian Highway Network in Bangladesh. By this time substantial progress
has been achieved in this regard. Also, remarkable progress has been made in regards to construct the bridge
over the river Padma. The operational capacity and efficiency of Mongla and Chittagong port has been
increased to extend the volume of trade with land locked Bhutan and Nepal through India. GOB has already
taken initiatives to upgrade the whole part of the AH Network in Bangladesh into 4 lane width under the 6th
Five Year Plan (2011-15).
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Major on going projects on AH Routes :
Sl.
No.
Section Name
Asian Highway Route 1
1
Bhatiapara- NarailJessore – Benepole
(including Kalna
Bridge)
Asian Highway Route 2
2
Bagura-Natore
Length
road=km
bridge=meter
Invest Cost
USD Million
98
(680m)
177.23
62.8
54.18
3
BanglabandhaPanchagar
53
18.73
4
Panchagar-Beldanga
Road
76
2.16
Rahabal-PirganjShathibari-Rangpur
Road
Asian Highway Route 41
6
4 lanning of DhakaChittagong Highway
(Daudkandi to
Chittagong)
7
Chittagong-Dohazari
Road
77
3.63
5
8
Third Karnaphuly
Bridge
Total
194
340.31
27
14.06
900m
84
587.8 km
1580 m
694.30
Remarks
The Transport Corridor project includes
improvement as well as construction of a
road section under ADB assistance. The
Bhatiapara- Narail section in below AH
standard. Presently it is of district road
category.
The Sub Regional
is undertaken for
improvement under ADB assistance
Project is undertaken by ADB funding
RNIMP2 (Road Improvement Component)
and expected year of completion 2011.
Project is undertaken by ADB funding
RNIMPI (Periodic Road Maintenance
Component) and expected to complete 2011
Project is undertaken by ADB funding
RNIMP2 as Periodic Road Maintenance and
Road Safety Component
Dhaka-Daudkandi section is already
widened to 4 lane. Daudkandi to Chittagong
4 lane work funded by JDCF is in progress
and expected year of completion 2013.
Improvement and upgradation funded by
ADB under RNIMP-II and expected year of
completion 2011
Funded by Kuwait Fund and already opened
to traffic in 2009
The investment need for developing the road network in Bangladesh as per requirement of higher AH design
standard is huge and a big challenge to the Government of Bangladesh. GOB is pursuing for foreign
assistance to implement the priority projects on Asian Highway Network like Construction of Padma Bridge
(AH1), Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway (AH41), Second Meghna and Meghna-Gumti Bridges on DhakaChittagong Highway (AH41) and 4 lanning of all National Highways. The requirements of investment for
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implementation of priority projects is about US$ 4177 Million (excluding Padma Bridge) on AH routes in
Bangladesh. Fund may be arranged through ESCAP for implementation of the important projects to
implement the AH network in Bangladesh.
Priority projects :
The following road segments of AH route as well as bridges may be taken up as priority projects for
immediate investment as per requirement of higher AH design standard :
Sl.
No.
Section Name
Asian Highway Route 1
1
Padma Bridge
2
4 Lanning of DhakaMawa-Bhanga Road
3
8 Lanning of
Jatrabari-Katchpur
Road
4
4 Lanning of
Jatrabari-DemraTarabo-Katchpur
Road
Asian Highway Route 2
5
4 Lanning of
Nabinagar-ChandraBangabandhu
Bridge-Hatikamrul
Road
6
4 Lanning of
HatikamrulRangpurRoad
Asian Highway Route 41
7
4 Lanning of
Khulna-Mongla
Road
8
4 Lanning of
Khulna-JessoreJhenaidah-PakseyBonpara-Hatikamrul
Road
Length
road= km
bridge=mt
Invest Cost
USD Million
6150m
2928.57
59
2500m
131.72
9
27.86
12
8.3
110
157
819 m
36
222
180.14
190.4
Remarks
The bridge will connect Dhaka to Benapole
land port and expected to be completed in
2013 funded by WB, ADB and JBIC.
Feasibility study is done.
Needs widening to commensurate with high
traffic growth with the opening of Padma
Bridge
Needs widening to commensurate with high
traffic growth on Dhaka-Sylhet and DhakaChittagong Road
Needs widening to commensurate with high
traffic growth on Dhaka-Sylhet and DhakaChittagong Road
Needs widening and upgrading to
commensurate with high traffic growth on
Jamuna Bridge
Needs widening and upgrading to
commensurate with high traffic growth on
Jamuna Bridge in one end and
Banglabandha land port on the other
27.3
Needs improvement and widening to serve
the Port.
255
Needs improvement and widening to serve
the Port
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9
10
11
12
Dhaka-Chittagong
Expressway
2nd Meghna & 2nd
Meghna-Gumti
Bridge
Improvement of
Cox's Bajar-Teknaf
Road
Ramu-GundumBawlibazar Road
Total
(excluding Padma Bridge)
*US$1=Taka 70.00
215
3023
2340
meter
218
80
1975m
88.40
23
27
923 km
7634 m
4177.12
Construction of an access control road on
BOOT basis. Need to construct 123 km
road parallel to existing highway and 92 km
through new alignment.
Construction of new bridges on DhakaChittagong Highway to cope up the high
traffic growth on N1
Needs improvement and upgrading.
Inprovement and upgrading funded by
GoB
under
Bangladesh
Mynamar
Friendship Road Project.
Physical alignment of Asian highway Route in Bangladesh is more or less complete so far as the
road connectivity is concerned. What is now important to do is to carry out
improvement/strengthening works including widening of pavement and should necessary segments
in order to bring the road geometry in a state of international standard/regional harmony the route
length according to design standard of Asian Highway.
Asian Highway Road Safety
Government of
Bangladesh endorse the ESCAP Policy of Decade the Action of Road Safety 2011-2020.
GOB is very much concerned about ensuring safety on its road network. According to the ESCAP road safety
target for achieving 50 percent reduction in RTA fatalities by 2020. The vision translates to set a goal towards
achieving of a 5 percent reduction in the annual number of RTA fatalities by 2020. The Bangladesh Road
Transport Authority of the Ministry of Communications developed 6th National Road Safety Strategic Action
Plan (2011-2012) for the prevention of Road Traffic accidents where the actions have been assigned for
various sector or organizations. The strategic action plan has been approved by the National Road Safety
Council. National Highways are recommended to be the principal target of road safety initiatives of GOB as
45% of all fatal accidents occurring on National Highways. RHD field division identified accident prone black
spots on highways and already took measures for design correction.
RHD Road Safety Division is working actively to implement the recommendations of Road Safety Council
establish with the view to improve the road safety condition. An accident database on the basis of field report
is kept by the RHD Road Safety Division and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority regularly.
A vast program for safety on road through overload control is under implementation since long time. A
number of overload control stations/weigh bridges are been operational at different strategic points of RHD
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National Highways e.g Sitakunda N1, Auhkandi N2, Meghna Bridge & Meghna-Gumti Bridge N1,
Utholi N5 and Mawa. Construction of a number of overload control station/ weigh bridge is under
implementation at Benapole N706, Mohashangarh N5, Goalanda (Rajbari) N7 and Arial Kha Bridge
N8. Road safety issues like education and public awareness, community participation, enforcement,
management of transport sector are being addressed at the policy preparation level keeping reduction
of accidents as the goal of all road safety measures. In order to ensure safety on road, GOB has also
introduced police patrolling system on highways.
Khandaker Fatema Begum
Date: 15 September’2011
Deputy Secretary
Roads Division
Ministry of Communications
Bangladesh
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