The Cabinet has decided to scrap the 14-year-old Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project along the Gazipur-Airport corridor also dismantling its dedicated infrastructure to convert the route into a standard six-lane highway.
The decision follows recommendations from a Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) expert team. Under the approved plan the existing BRT stations and lane dividers will be removed to create a 3+3 lane conventional highway, while current two-lane overpasses will be expanded to four lanes.
Additionally, the government will wind down Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit PLC, transferring remaining activities to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD). Relevant authorities have been instructed to engage development partners to resolve legal complications before officially closing the project.
Launched in 2012 with an initial budget of Tk.20.38 billion, the BRT project's cost rose to Tk.42.86 billion. Although physical progress reached nearly 97 per cent and implementation suffered from chronic delays. A proposed cost escalation to Tk.65.97 billion was rejected by ECNEC in July 2025.
BUET Professor Md. Shamsul Hoq stated that the decision reflects data-driven recommendations to prevent future traffic complications. He emphasized that the government must now prioritize expanding commuter rail services to meet local transportation needs.
