Transport in Bangladesh

right|thumb|260px|alt=See caption|Transport map of Bangladesh

Transport in Bangladesh is dominated by roadways, accounting for the majority of both passenger and cargo traffic due to substantial development efforts since independence. Eight major national highways connect the capital, Dhaka, with divisional and district headquarters, port cities, and international routes. Despite this, vehicle usage per capita remains low, with non-motorised modes prevailing. However, Bangladesh's roads are unsafe, having one of the highest road accident fatality rates. They also suffer from high congestion, as well as severe air and noise pollution.

The share of railway traffic has seen a significant decline since 1975, facing challenges like shortage of rolling stock and poor track conditions. Transportation through inland waterways, though also declining, remains popular thanks to Bangladesh's extensive river network and the use of ferries.

Air travel in Bangladesh is supported by three international and five domestic airports, of which Hazrat Shahjalal is the largest and busiest. Biman Bangladesh, the national airline, and the privately owned US-Bangla are the two international carriers based in Bangladesh, which also operate domestic flights to these airports alongside three other private airlines.

In 2023, Bangladesh ranked 88 in the Logistics Performance Index among 139 countries and third among South Asian countries, after India and Sri Lanka.

Road

With around of roads, Bangladesh ranks 16th in the world for total length of road network. It has the highest road density in South Asia after India and ranks 13th globally. However, only about 30 per cent, or , of these roads are paved.

As of , there were 410,532 private passenger cars, 121,387 microbuses, and 4.34 million motorcycles bringing the total number of vehicles, including those mentioned, to nearly 6 million. In addition, there were around 4 million unregistered electric auto rickshaws circulating in Bangladesh by 2025. These so-called "Bangla Teslas" dominate local transport and constitute "perhaps the world's biggest informal EV fleet."

Highways

There are eight major national highways, linking the capital with various divisional and district headquarters, port cities, and international routes. The Dhaka–Chittagong highway (N1) is regarded as the lifeline of the country's trade and commerce, connecting the capital, Dhaka, with the primary port city of Chittagong. The Dhaka–Mawa–Bhanga Expressway, opened in 2020, is the first controlled-access highway in the country.

Three Asian Highway routes pass through Bangladesh, with parts of the network undergoing upgrades to meet international standards. The routes are:

AH1: Tamabil to Benapole (), connecting to India at both ends.
AH2: Tamabil to Banglabandha (), also connecting to India at both ends.
AH41: Teknaf to Mongla (), with potential for extension to Myanmar.

Usage

Although road transport usage has risen significantly compared to rail and inland waterways since 1975, the rate of vehicle usage remains notably low, with only 7.89 vehicles and 4.22 passenger cars per 1,000 people. There are nearly 4.3 million motorcycles, 714 thousand passenger cars, and 86.5 thousand buses, collectively covering 140.7 billion passenger-kilometres in 2021,

Issues

Safety

Bangladesh has one of the highest road accident fatality rates globally, with estimates from non-governmental sources reaching as high as 25,000 deaths in 2019, although official government figures are much lower. The annual road crash deaths per capita in Bangladesh are twice the average rate for high-income countries and five times that of the best-performing countries worldwide. Buses and trucks are identified as the primary contributors to traffic accidents, with pedestrian casualties being particularly common. Major contributing factors include a mix of diverse traffic, inadequate enforcement of laws, poor road conditions, and a lack of formal training and education. and mass protests, primarily led by students. A notable instance was the major 2018 road safety protests, when tens of thousands of schoolchildren in Dhaka and nearby cities protested following the deaths of two students caused by a speeding bus. In response to these events, the government passed the Road Transport Act in September 2018, despite opposition from transport workers. The act aimed to enhance road safety by increasing fines for traffic violations, imposing stricter licensing requirements, and introducing harsher penalties, including the possibility of the death penalty for causing serious injury or death in motor vehicle accidents. Despite its hasty introduction, enforcement of the law has been inconsistent, leading to no significant improvement in road safety. Road accidents have continued to increase, while the government has reduced fines and sentences, attributed to entrenched interests and conflicts of interest between businesses, regulatory authorities, and politicians.

Congestion

Road traffic congestion is a common issue in major cities, caused by an increasing number of vehicles due to population growth, inadequate road infrastructure, and the presence of slow-moving vehicles like rickshaws, among other factors. Traffic congestion varies during the day, necessitating planning and longer trips; this impacts productivity, cutting across social and economic status. Although walking is a major travel mode of the low-income majority, pedestrian needs are ignored in transport planning. Despite comprising four percent of total vehicles, private cars occupy about 70 percent of road space.

Pollution

A significant contributor to air pollution in urban areas is motor vehicle emissions. In Bangladesh, pollution severity is exacerbated by a large number of high-polluting vehicles, impure fuel, inefficient land use, and poor traffic management. Leaded gasoline was banned in 1999,

Dhaka is the noisiest city in the world, with levels 1.3 to 2 times higher than acceptable limits. The Farmgate intersection in Dhaka experiences the highest noise pollution at 135.6 decibels, while the least polluted area, Uttara-14, registers 100.8 decibels, still far above the permissible level. Rajshahi ranked the fourth noisiest in the world, Sylhet, Comilla, and Khulna. Despite a ban on the import of loud hydraulic horns in 2017, they remain in widespread illegal use. managed by the state-owned Bangladesh Railway (BR), which was largely inherited from the British Assam Bengal Railway system after the partition of India in 1947. There are about 500 railway stations, In 2023, Bangladesh Railway operated 402 trains daily, while an additional 37 trains were run by four main private companies , a practice permitted since the early 2000s. New legislation drafted in 2024 as a successor to a centuries-old law includes provisions allowing private companies to own rolling stock for carrying passengers, goods, and parcels.thumb|alt=Green passenger train pulled by a blue diesel engine|Bangladesh Railway's [[Parabat Express at Sylhet railway station]]Bangladesh Railway has approximately of main and branch lines (route km) linking 43 of the 64 districts. Of these, the majority, covering , are metre-gauge tracks, mainly in the central and eastern regions. About are broad-gauge tracks, concentrated in the western region. The gauge difference is being addressed by adding third rails to major routes, making them dual gauge, with a total of about converted. which earned the majority of revenue, almost half of these passengers were on local routes. Regardless of its significance, the railway system faces several challenges—including ageing and scarcity of rolling stock, poor track conditions, and a lack of manpower—leading to substantial losses for Bangladesh Railway.

About 93 million passengers used railways in 2019, while the figure was 73 million in 1970.

, the country has only one metro line, located in Dhaka, which opened in December 2022. The Dhaka Metro Rail is operated by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, with additional lines under construction.

Important links

The Hardinge Bridge, opened in 1915, connected the south-western railways to the north-western regions divided by the Padma River. The Bhairab Railway Bridge (also Bangladesh–UK Friendship Bridge), opened in 1937, facilitates communication between Dhaka and Chittagong over the Meghna River. A dedicated rail bridge beside itthe longest in the countrywas opened in to meet growing traffic demands.

Railway penetration has been relatively low in the riverine south-western regions of the Ganges Delta, particularly from the capital and the north-east, due to the Padma River acting as a barrier. This challenge was addressed in with the inauguration of train services on the Dhaka–Jessore line.

International rail

The border between India and Bangladesh cuts across railway lines, forcing them into the adjacent country for short distances and complicating border controls such as passport validation. After 43 years, the Maitree Express renewed rail transport between Bangladesh and Kolkata of India in 2008. A second rail service, the Bandhan Express, connecting Kolkata and Khulna, began in 2017. A third service, the Mitali Express, from Siliguri to Dhaka, started in June 2022.

Bangladesh is part of the Trans-Asian Railway network. As part of the project, it planned to extend the railway from Chittagong to Cox's Bazar, with the eventual goal of connecting to Myanmar. However, as of 2022, the plan was to end the track at Cox's Bazar due to deteriorating bilateral relations.

Air

Air travel in Bangladesh peaked at over 17 million passengers in 2023. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, which manages and regulates civil aviation activities in the country, reported that the number of outbound travellers from Bangladesh in 2022 was 4.2 million, marking a 124 per cent year-on-year increase. This surge was primarily attributed to migrant workers and pilgrimage. Conversely, 3.5 million travellers arrived in Bangladesh during the same period. Approximately 285,000 tonnes of cargo were transported by air in 2023, with over 30 airlines operating cargo flights to and from the country.

Airports

alt=A photo of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh at night. The image shows a large airport terminal building illuminated from within. There is a mostly empty parking lot in front of the terminal. Text in Bengali, English, and Arabic identify the building as the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The closest green text reads "Terminal-2", while the farthest reads "Terminal-1"|thumb|Terminals 1 and 2 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

Of the three international airports in Bangladesh, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka is the largest and busiest, handling 11.6 million passengers in 2023, which included 52 per cent of domestic and international flights. Additionally, it handled 2.2 million domestic passengers and one national airline conducting 170 daily domestic flights. Originally built to handle eight million annual passengers, the airport's capacity is expected to more than double to 20 million once the modern third terminal opens fully in October 2024.

Chittagong's Shah Amanat International Airport ranks second, handling 17 percent of passengers. Osmani International Airport in Sylhet is the third, having seen its first international flight in 2017, and is also undergoing major expansions as of 2023.

In addition to the international airports, there are five operational airports handling domestic-only flights: Barisal, Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Shah Makhdum (Rajshahi), and Saidpur (Nilphamari). Nearly all services at these airports are to or from Dhaka.

The opening of the Padma Bridge in 2022 has particularly impacted air traffic to south-western airports like Jessore and Barisal. Cox's Bazar, a destination that accounts for the bulk of domestic airline revenue, has also seen a decline in air passengers due to a new railway link opened in 2023. Despite this, the government has undertaken projects worth to modernise all airports by 2023. Cox's Bazar airport is being upgraded to international status as of 2024, which includes extending its runway to become the longest in the country. Saidpur airport is being turned into a regional hub to facilitate flights from neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and north-east India, while Khan Jahan Ali Airport in Khulna is still under construction, as of 2023. The airline, founded in 1972, has its hub at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Other Bangladeshi-registered passenger airlines include US-Bangla Airlines, Novoair, Air Astra, and Fly Dhaka. All these carriers have their hub at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and operate domestic flights. Except for Air Astra and Fly Dhaka, the aforementioned airlines also offer international flights. As of 2024, Fly Dhaka Airlines marks the 12th private airline to join Bangladesh's aviation sector since the 2000s. However, this period has also witnessed the closure of at least eight private airlines, the most recent being Regent Airways in 2022, primarily due to financial difficulties.

Water

right|thumb|alt=Boats with brightly coloured sails|Small wooden boats, used to transport passengers and freight.

Inland waterways

There are approximately of navigable waterways depending on the season, The modal share of passenger transport through inland waterways in Bangladesh was 8 per cent in 2005, down from 16 per cent in 1975. In 2005, 16 per cent of cargo traffic in Bangladesh used inland waterways, a decrease from 37 per cent in 1975. The most popular destinations include Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali, and Khulna. Additionally, there are water-transport routes connecting Dhaka with Kolkata in India.

thumb|A triple-decker launch (passenger ferry) on a river in Bangladesh

Approximately 200 launches operate across 107 water routes throughout the country . To support the launch services, the BIWTA has developed 292 wharfs (ghats) for the docking of these vessels, and oversees 380 launch terminals.

There are 53 roll-on/roll-off ferries running on seven routes across the country: Paturia–Daulatdia, Aricha–Kazirhat, Shimulia–Banglabazar, Bhola–Lakshmipur, Lajarhat–Veduria, Char Kalipur–Kalipur Bazar and Harinaghat Chandpur–Shariatpur.

More than 800,000 are an important means of transportation for people and goods across the country, especially during the rainy season.

The ferries are often overloaded and continue to operate in poor weather; many people die each year in ferry and launch accidents. From 2005 to 2015, nearly 1,800 casualties have been reported due to river transport incidents, a number which may be higher due to the prevalence of unregistered vessels. In 2014, the launch Pinak 6 sank in the Padma River with more than 200 passengers aboard near Munshiganj's Louhajang Upazila.

Merchant marine

, the country's merchant navy consisted of 558 ships, including 68 bulk carriers, 10 container ships, 170 cargo ships and 162 oil tankers.

Ports and harbours

Bangladesh has 22 major river ports used for loading and unloading passengers and goods, as well as for landing motorised marine vessels. These include:

Dhaka, Narayanganj, Barisal, Chandpur, Khulna, Baghabari, Patuakhali, Narsingdi, Aricha, Nagarbari, Daulatdia, Tongi, Maoa, Char Jannat, Ashugonj (Bhairab Bazar), Bhola, Barguna, Noapara, Munshiganj, Chatak, Meghnaghat and Cox's Bazar.

Chittagong is the busiest sea port in Bangladesh, handling 92 per cent of the country's international cargo, followed by Mongla and Payra. The Matarbari Port, under construction, will be the first deep-sea port capable of accommodating large ships by 2026.

Pipelines

In 2013, Bangladesh had about of natural gas pipelines. In the same year, the first under-sea pipeline to transport crude oil and diesel from a deep-sea mooring, spanning , was commissioned.

Neighbouring countries

Bangladesh shares border with two nations, India and Myanmar.

Transport between India and Bangladesh
Transport between Myanmar and Bangladesh