Arafat Islam Joy: Bangladesh has seen a sizable number of development projects that may be categorized as mega projects as it moves closer to leaving the LDC category. The country is effectively planting the seeds for a sustainable future by giving major infrastructure projects top priority as "fast-track projects." Some big development projects by the government are well underway and are expected to have a significant positive impact on the country. At least four megaprojects are now awaiting inauguration, with the primary construction phase successfully concluded. The government has instructed the concerned project authorities to speed up the work on the projects and complete them before the upcoming 12thnational parliament election.

After the Awami League government came to power in 2009, it took on several monumental development projects with the goal of transforming the country`s communication, transport, and power infrastructure. Many of them have already been completed, while others are in progress. The Padma Bridge Rail Link, the elevated expressway, the Metro Rail, the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant are just a few megaprojects that PM Sheikh Hasina recently inaugurated. According to the authorities, the Karnaphuli underwater tunnel, Metro line-6 (from Agargaon to Motijheel section), Akhaura-Agartala rail line, and Chattogram-Cox`s Bazar rail lines are among the projects the government has targeted to inaugurate before December.

Bangabandhu Tunnel as first such project in South Asia

The Bangladeshi government took the initiative to build a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River to connect the city`s Patenga and Anwara upazilas in south Chittagong to make the port city `One City, Two Town` model similar to the Chinese city of Shanghai. The first underwater tunnel in Bangladesh and South Asia, built by China, is expected to unlock new economic opportunities for people in the region. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate this tunnel on October 28, and it will be opened to traffic the following day.

No doubt, this tunnel will greatly improve the traffic situation in Chattogram and promote the economic development of the country. The tunnel will connect the proposed Asian Highway to the Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway and reduce the distance from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar by 40 km. In the long run, this connectivity will boost industrialization and tourism in the vast area of the south-eastern region up to Cox`s Bazar.

Metro Rail’s Agargaon-Motijheel section almost ready to roll

One of the largest projects the Bangladeshi government is working on is the metro train, which the people of Dhaka have long desired. Rapid transit, often known as metro rail, is a popular mode of transportation in many major cities all over the world. In December 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the country`s first metro rail from Uttara to Agargaon which improved the transportation system for millions of commuters.

Now with the second phase, passenger operation on Dhaka metro rail’s Agargaon-Motijheel section will start by the first week of November, but it will touch Farmgate, Secretariat, and Motijheel stations initially. The remaining stations on this section will be opened gradually, but it will take two more months. By January, trains will stop at all the stations from Uttara to Motijheel.

Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar-Ghundum Railway project

Another fast-track project among the ongoing projects in Bangladesh is the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Railway Project. This 128-kilometre single-line dual-gauge track project will directly connect Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts to Chittagong, starting from Dohazari in Chittagong. The dual-gauge line from Chattogram to Cox`s Bazar is one of the most attractive railway projects in recent times, as it will connect the tourist destination with Dhaka. The project of a 102-km new rail line with nine new stations, including an iconic one, is being implemented in two parts: Dohazari to Chakaria and Chakaria to Cox`s Bazar. Out of the nine stations, three—Dohazari, Chakaria, and Cox`s Bazar—are ready to be used, and the rest will be completed by December. The railway project is expected to be inaugurated on November 12.

Akhaura-Agartala rail link flag-off this month

Seven years after approval, the eagerly anticipated 10-kilometre railway link between Bangladesh`s Akhaura and India`s Agartala is finally set for inauguration in November, facilitating the transportation of goods from Chattogram port to India`s northeastern region through rail networks. Railway lines have been installed in the entire section. There is a great deal of excitement about this initiative in both nations. It is anticipated that this networking endeavor will fundamentally alter both Bangladesh and India. With the implementation of this project, goods will go from Chittagong Port and the capital to the other states in the north-eastern region of India by road as well as by rail. Consequently, trade will grow in these nations, and it will be easier and quicker to carry products, cutting the cost of doing business.

Political observers in Bangladesh think that the country`s megaprojects will be the ruling party`s trump card in the forthcoming 12th national parliament election. Expanded connectivity not only reduces travel time for individuals but also encourages a wider range of trade possibilities and more opportunities for economic activity. Young voters will be attracted if all these initiatives are visible before the next elections; similarly, these successes will have a positive effect on poll politics. The megaprojects also provide a preview of what the country`s growth will look like in the near future. There is no way to overlook these "high-yielding projects" that have been reshaping society and the environment by leveraging "economies of scale." The projects that were launched have already benefited millions of people. The government is hoping that this might benefit the incumbent administration in the upcoming elections. People might put their faith in this party to lead the country forward under this administration.

Author: Arafat Islam Joy is a researcher and freelance columnist.