Yunus Government’s Misrepresentation About 2018-Approved Bhanga-Kuakata Four-Lane Project

Staff Correspondent | May 7, 2025

Several national dailies recently reported that the government has taken initiative to upgrade the Bhanga (Faridpur) to Kuakata (Patuakhali) highway into a four-lane road. However, official sources confirm this claim is false—the project was actually approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) back in 2018.

The published reports falsely claimed ECNEC approved nine new projects worth Tk 3,756.20 crore, including Tk 2,798.19 crore in government funding, Tk 812.95 crore in project loans, and Tk 145.06 crore from organizational funds. These approvals were allegedly granted during a May 7 meeting chaired by Chief Advisor and ECNEC Chairperson Dr. Yunus at the NEC conference room, with Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud briefing journalists afterward.

Investigations reveal the Bhanga-Barisal-Kuakata highway expansion was approved by ECNEC on October 11, 2018. The 195-km expressway project includes two dual-carriageway lanes with separate service lanes for slow vehicles, spanning 170 feet in width. Initiated in 2016 under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives, the Roads and Highways Department began preliminary work.

Post-Padma Bridge inauguration, traffic pressure increased on this route, leading to more accidents. In 2019, the RHD undertook a Tk 52 crore project to widen a 13-km Barisal segment, requiring the felling of 402 century-old trees.

Land acquisition, allocated Tk 1,867 crore, faced delays due to faulty surveys by consultants. Initially targeting 302 acres, revised surveys identified a need for 1,911 acres. Though acquisition was scheduled for completion by June 2020, it remained unfinished until 2023, with 90% finalized by 2024.

Responding to public demand, the project was upgraded to six lanes up to Payra in April 2024. However, the current Yunus administration reduced the scope—limiting the six-lane stretch to Payra Bridge and downgrading the Payra-Kuakata segment to four lanes through a design revision on September 29, 2024.

Between FY2018-23, land acquisition expenditures included Tk 10 crore (2018-19), Tk 100 crore (2019-20), Tk 700 crore (2020-21), and Tk 1,022 crore (2021-22). Acquisition cases were filed for 11 plots in Faridpur/Madaripur and five in Gopalganj/Barisal. While acquisition concluded in these districts by FY2023-24, land identification in Patuakhali remained incomplete.

Officials confirm acquisition is being expedited for faster implementation but clarify that recent media claims of “new approval” are inaccurate.