The Dhaka Bypass Expressway has officially opened to traffic, though the inauguration ceremony began with an unusual scene when the chief guest objected to his own name being inscribed on the plaque.
On Sunday morning (August 24), Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan was visibly upset after noticing his name on the inauguration plaque at the toll plaza in Bhogra, Gazipur. Addressing officials, he said, “Is this being built with my father’s money? Then why should my name be here? Immediately change it. My name should not be there—if anyone’s name belongs here, it should be that of the ministry or relevant authorities.”
As a result, the plaque was not unveiled. Instead, the adviser cut the ribbon at 11 am, formally opening an 18-kilometer section of the 48-kilometer expressway’s first phase.
The ceremony was attended by Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Gazipur City Corporation Administrator Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Road Transport and Highways Division Senior Secretary Md. Ehsanul Haque, Roads and Highways Department Chief Engineer Syed Moinul Hasan, Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Nazmul Karim Khan, Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Nafisa Arefin, among others.
In his speech, Adviser Fauzul Kabir Khan highlighted the high cost of road construction in Bangladesh compared to neighboring countries, attributing it partly to corruption. “Roads are a major sector of corruption. If we reduce this and our engineers monitor properly, construction costs can be cut by 20–30 percent,” he said. He also emphasized the need to reduce over-dependence on roads by improving railway, waterways, and air transport.
According to project officials, work on the Dhaka Bypass Expressway began in May 2022. The expressway stretches 48 kilometers from Bhogra Bypass to Madanpur, and about 80 percent of construction has been completed. The project is scheduled for full handover by June 2026.
Authorities have prohibited CNG-run and battery-powered autorickshaws, as well as motorcycles, from using the expressway for safety and speed management. Partial toll collection has also begun.
