Construction of Aricha-Ghior-Doulatpur-Nagarpur and Tangail Regional Highway Progressing Slowly

The construction of the Aricha-Ghior-Doulatpur-Nagarpur and Tangail regional highway is moving at a snail’s pace. The project, under the supervision of the Tangail Roads and Highways Department, began on January 1, 2022, with the aim of upgrading the road to proper standards and width. Although the contract stipulated completion within the current year, progress has stalled due to land acquisition issues, complications in alignment design, lack of cooperation from the Forest Department in determining tree compensation, and delays from the rural electricity authorities.

Meanwhile, sections of the highway already under construction have led to severe public inconvenience due to soil filling, potholes on old roads, and the storage of construction materials. This has made the only regional highway serving Tangail Sadar, Delduar, and Nagarpur largely unusable, causing difficulties for hundreds of thousands of residents who rely on it for urgent health services, education, and other essential trips. The poor condition has also increased maintenance costs for public transport and freight vehicles operating on the route.

According to the Tangail District Land Acquisition Office, 245.5577 acres across 46 mouzas in Tangail Sadar, Nagarpur, and Delduar are being processed under 20 land acquisition cases. Compensation work is ongoing for mouzas under cases 32, 33, and 34. Notice issuance is underway in mouzas under case 31, and compensation distribution will begin soon. Investigations and resolution of objections are ongoing in 16 other cases.

The Roads and Highways Department in Tangail is also facing delays in alignment design in certain mouzas, while compensation determination by the Forest Department for others has slowed progress. Preparatory work for remaining mouzas continues.

Recently, the Additional Chief Engineer of Tangail Roads Department submitted a proposal to extend the project duration by two years without increasing costs. If approved, construction may be completed within this period. The total project cost is set at BDT 16.35 billion, with BDT 11.3575 billion allocated for the Tangail section. Four contractor firms—DIENCO, Hasan Techno, Mir Brothers, and NDE—have been engaged for execution.

Local commuters and transport operators describe the highway as extremely challenging. CNG auto-rickshaw passenger Jahinara Akter said that traveling this route for five years has caused severe inconvenience, with frequent jolts making passengers unwell and significant time lost due to potholes. Truck driver Shahid Mia added that large potholes not only increase accidents but also raise vehicle maintenance costs. Both stressed the urgent need for a usable road.

NDE Project Manager Abu Talib Fahmidur Rahman stated that land acquisition delays have caused economic losses for the contractor, including labor wages, vehicle repair, and transport costs. Additional District Commissioner (Revenue) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam said that with the DC’s efforts, remaining issues will be resolved quickly, and compensation disbursed to affected landowners.

Executive Engineer of Tangail Roads and Highways Department, Dr. Cynthia Azmiri Khan, noted that soil conditions, land acquisition challenges, and other factors have slowed progress. She expressed hope that within the extended two-year period, all issues would be resolved, providing the local population with a safe and functional regional highway.