Dhaka-Gazipur BRT Project Faces Possible Cancellation After Systematic Failure and Years of Delays
A critical assessment by experts from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has recommended the immediate cancellation of the Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, labeling the multi-billion-taka initiative a failure of systemic planning and execution. The project, which was initially intended to provide a seamless, traffic-free commute between the airport and Gazipur, has instead caused fourteen years of public suffering and significant financial waste.
According to the BUET report, led by Professor Shamsul Hoque, the project suffered from fundamental design flaws, poor coordination, and a complete lack of accountability. Experts noted that implementing a BRT system on such narrow, high-density corridors without proper technical validation was a strategic error. The report suggests that rather than continuing to pour capital into the project—which would require an additional 3.5 billion taka just to procure specialized buses—the existing infrastructure should be repurposed into standard highway improvements.
The current state of the 20-kilometer corridor illustrates the extent of the failure. Despite spending 2.8 billion taka over 14 years, construction remains incomplete. Escalators and elevators installed at station platforms have fallen into disrepair, with equipment rusting and security barriers collapsing before ever being used. The project’s original cost projection of 2.04 billion taka has ballooned through three budget revisions, with a fourth proposal to reach 6.59 billion taka currently stalled.
The government is now at a crossroads, balancing the risk of further financial hemorrhaging against the high cost of demolition. Officials from the Road Transport and Highways Division noted that abandoning the project would necessitate the dismantling of expensive median barriers and stations, adding hundreds of millions in additional costs. However, there is growing consensus that the project is an irreparable liability. A final decision, expected within days, will be presented to the cabinet.
Beyond the financial toll, the project has been marred by tragedy, with seven deaths recorded during construction accidents. The initiative also saw poor integration between the multiple agencies responsible for execution, including the Roads and Highways Department, the Bridge Division, and the Local Government Engineering Department, each operating with overlapping duties and disjointed oversight.
BUET experts emphasized that this project serves as a cautionary tale for future urban development in Bangladesh. They highlighted that globally, successful BRT systems generally require much wider road capacities and fully elevated tracks to avoid bottlenecks. The Dhaka-Gazipur corridor, characterized by its narrow lanes and heavy industrial traffic, was never suited to the model implemented.
The report concludes that the failure lies not just with the construction companies but with the planning commissions and international consultants who approved and oversaw a fundamentally flawed design. The government has been urged to hold the responsible parties accountable and to prioritize more practical transit solutions, such as commuter rail, to address the long-standing transport needs of the millions who traverse the Dhaka-Mymensingh route.
