The government of Bangladesh has taken steps to upgrade the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway into a four-lane road, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said in Parliament on Thursday.
Responding to a parliamentary question, the minister said that a 26.21-kilometre stretch of the highway has already been approved under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement as part of the first phase of the highway improvement project. The initiative is expected to be completed by 2029.
He said the approved segment includes construction of a 2.6-kilometre flyover to ease traffic congestion and improve road safety. For the remaining portion of the highway, which spans roughly 48 kilometres under the current planning scope, feasibility studies are still underway.
The minister also said discussions are ongoing with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) regarding possible financing support for the project, which is considered important for boosting regional connectivity and tourism.
He expressed hope that a final decision on upgrading the remaining sections of the highway into a four-lane road would be taken soon.
Shaikh Rabiul Alam acknowledged that the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway remains accident-prone despite various safety measures introduced in vulnerable zones.
Authorities have already implemented several interventions in high-risk areas to reduce road accidents, he added.
The 159-kilometre highway is widely regarded as a key transport corridor linking the country’s main port city with its premier tourist destination. Over the years, repeated feasibility studies have been conducted to assess upgrading options, including a major study carried out between 2013 and 2015 by a Swedish consultancy, which estimated the project cost at around Tk10,000 crore.
Public demand for expanding the highway into a four-lane route has remained strong due to growing traffic pressure and safety concerns.
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