A multimodal future for Dhaka-Chattogram corridor

The Dhaka-Chattogram corridor is the economic spine of Bangladesh, linking the capital with its principal seaport and carrying most industrial output, trade cargo and passenger traffic. A large share of export-import activity depends on this single axis, making its efficiency vital to national competitiveness. Yet this artery remains under severe strain. Congestion, unplanned roadside development and inadequate capacity have turned what should be a high-efficiency logistics route into a persistent bottleneck.

Much of the highway still operates as a four-lane road without proper service lanes, forcing long-distance freight to mix with local and slow-moving traffic. Rickshaws, vans and other low-speed vehicles reduce average speeds and raise accident risks. The alignment through bazaars and densely populated areas creates frequent chokepoints, further undermining fuel efficiency and reliability. Any meaningful upgrade must begin with strict access control and safety enforcement. Slow-moving vehicles should be barred from the main carriageway and diverted to parallel service roads. Continuous median barriers are needed to prevent unsafe pedestrian crossings, while guardrails can limit encroachment by local traffic. Properly designed entry and exit points are equally important to avoid random access. Without such discipline, even expanded capacity will not deliver lasting gains in travel time or safety.

Policy has rightly shifted towards strengthening rail connectivity along the corridor. Rail is inherently more efficient for long-haul cargo. Investments in gauge unification, improved signalling, and increased train frequency could significantly boost throughput while cutting transit times. However, rail alone cannot meet the corridor’s needs. Its weakness lies in first and last-mile connectivity. Most cargo still requires trucking to and from rail terminals, often involving multiple handling stages. Without efficient inland container depots, automated handling systems and reliable scheduling, these transfers can erode rail’s cost advantage and reduce its appeal.

Large-scale infrastructure choices must therefore be weighed carefully. Earlier studies suggested that a Dhaka-Chattogram expressway would cost several billion dollars. A fully elevated corridor spanning more than 200 kilometres would multiply that figure. For comparison, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, just over 20 kilometres long, cost more than $1 billion. Extending such a model across the entire corridor would likely prove prohibitively expensive and difficult to sustain through toll revenues. A more viable path lies in targeted, high-impact investments: bypasses around major urban centres, service lanes to separate local traffic, and grade-separated interchanges at key junctions. Selective elevated sections may still be justified in land-constrained areas.

Rail investment also promises strong long-term returns. A modernised rail corridor can shift a substantial share of container traffic away from roads. That is crucial. An often overlooked but promising component is inland water transport. Bangladesh’s vast river network provides a natural, low-cost option for bulk cargo. Improving navigability, upgrading river ports and linking waterways with road and rail systems would add resilience and flexibility to the logistics chain. Compared with road or rail megaprojects, river transport requires relatively modest investment yet can deliver substantial gains, especially for non-time-sensitive goods.

This makes a multimodal strategy essential. A modern Dhaka-Chattogram corridor should function as a coordinated system: rail for long-haul freight, road for distribution and time-sensitive delivery, and waterways for cost-effective bulk transport. Supporting infrastructure, including logistics hubs, intermodal terminals and digital tracking systems, will be critical to ensure seamless connectivity. Bangladesh now faces a strategic choice. A balanced multimodal approach combining rail modernisation, disciplined highway management and expanded river transport offers a more sustainable and cost-effective path. Given the corridor’s central role in the economy, getting this right is not merely an infrastructure challenge. It is a national priority.

The writer is the chairman of Unilever Consumer Care Ltd