In Bangladesh’s bid to become a more prosperous and developed nation, the role of well-constructed roads and highways cannot be overstated. As a nation poised for dynamic growth, the need for a robust and efficient transportation network is more pressing than ever. The benefits of investing in better roads extend far beyond mere convenience; they are integral to the very foundation of our economic progress.
To that end, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurating the Mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury CDA Expressway in Chittagong city is yet another important project that promises to assist our connectivity.
This elevated expressway will allow commuters to travel the 15km-long-route from Patenga to Tigerpass in just 15 minutes, which used to take almost three hours - while the previous time taken was simply unacceptable, the fact that we are rectifying these issues one by one is surely a positive sign and a promise of more changes.
However, while there are positives to take from this, we must not overlook the fact that this project, which was greenlit in 2017, was supposed to be completed by 2020. While the Covid years did indeed delay many projects, the fact that the delay was pushed so many years is worrying, and unfortunately follows a similar trend of our projects always failing to be delivered on time, and within budget.
Moving forward, as we continue to better connect the nation, let there be more effort to plan more prudently, and have better implementation in place, so that not only are lives of Bangladeshis eased, they are able to avail better connectivity sooner rather than later.
