The final decision on whether to continue or abandon the long-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project from Gazipur to Dhaka airport is likely to be left to the next elected government, as the interim administration faces multiple financial and operational hurdles, officials have said.

Although the government has, in principle, decided not to proceed with the Tk 42.86 billion project—after spending more than Tk 28.10 billion—it remains entangled in loan repayment obligations, disputes with contractors, and questions over the future of the BRT company.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) earlier declined to approve a revised development project proposal (RDPP) that sought an additional Tk 25 billion and an extension of the completion deadline to 2028. The original project’s Development Project Proposal (DPP) expired in December 2024.

Following ECNEC’s decision, the Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) formed two committees to determine a way forward. However, neither panel provided clear guidance. One committee suggested temporarily opening the entire 20.5km corridor for general traffic after minor repair works, while the other attributed the project’s chronic setbacks to a flawed feasibility study conducted in the planning stage.

The RTHD has since requested that the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) review both reports for technical validation.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Rail and Road Transport Sheikh Moinuddin said the project remains “alive” despite the expiry of its DPP. “Revising the DPP is essential to approve the expenditure required for the recommended works before closing it. The next government may choose to revive it if it wishes,” he said.

The BRT project, launched in 2012 under the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport initiative, aimed to introduce Bangladesh’s first bus-based mass transit system along a 20.5km corridor from Gazipur to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. However, delays, design flaws, and disputes with two Chinese contractors—who have sought more than Tk 5 billion in variation claims—have crippled progress.

Costly but incomplete infrastructure, including stations, lifts, escalators, and expansion joints, now poses additional safety and financial concerns. There are also questions about managing foreign loans and the future of the BRT company’s 28 employees.

Initially approved at Tk 20.40 billion, the project’s cost more than doubled over the years due to design adjustments, land acquisition, drainage development, and construction-related challenges. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) leads the effort, with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) and Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) implementing parts of it.