Dhaka Elevated Expressway FDC ramp opened

The exit ramp of the Dhaka Elevated Expressways Karwan Bazar section, in front of the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC), opened to traffic on Wednesday.

With this ramp, 16 ramps of the Elevated Expressway have been opened so far.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, also general secretary to ruling Awami League, inaugurated the ramp at Wednesday morning at a function.
Earlier on September 3 in 2023, 15 ramps of the 11.5-km of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Farmgate stretch opened to traffic.

After inaugurating the FDC ramp, Quader said, "This is an Eid gift from the Prime Minister for the people of Dhaka city."

"We will be able to fully open the expressway by the beginning of next year," he added.

In response to a query about increased traffic in Dhaka during Ramadan, the minister said, "People go to shopping malls during Ramadan and there will be some traffic jams. However, there is no traffic jam from Uttara to Motijheel. People can easily reach their destinations."

"After operation of the Metrorail, traffic congestion in the city reduced significantly. The time and expenditures of Dhaka Metrorail is being saved. Construction of two more metro lines out of total five is going on. Once the works of the new lines are completed, there will be no traffic congestion in the city," he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on September 2 last year, inaugurated the Airport-Farmgate segment of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

The total length of the expressway is 19.73km and people will be enter and exit the expressway through ramps at 31 points. Of the 31 points, 16 have already opened for traffic.

According to the project officials, around 72.51 percent of the work of the expressway is completed, and the work at Hatirjheel and Panthakunja points is underway.

The Dhaka Elevated Expressway project was taken up in 2011. On December 15, 2013, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority signed a revised agreement with First Dhaka Elevated Expressway Company Ltd, the investment company of the project.

Quader said, the total length on the main expressway is 19.73km. Including the length of 31 ramps, the total length will stand at 46.73km. Total expenditure of the project is Tk 8,940 crore.