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According to Bangladeshi media, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited Malaysia and China from June 21 to 26. Among these, the visit to China has attracted much attention. The Bangladeshi government plans to use this visit as an opportunity to seek funding and technical support from China in the field of transportation infrastructure, promoting a number of major projects.
In recent years, China has continuously participated in key projects in Bangladesh's power and transportation sectors, providing important support for local economic development. Bangladesh hopes to use this visit to further deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, economics, and infrastructure.
Eight key projects are planned to be promoted to the Chinese side
It is reported that the Bangladesh Bridge Authority has submitted a list of eight key infrastructure projects to the Prime Minister's Office, planning to promote them to the Chinese side during the visit, seeking preferential loans, aid funds, or PPP-based cooperation.
The projects include:
The second Jamuna River Bridge
The second Padma River Bridge (Padma Bridge)
Dhaka–Chittagong Elevated Expressway
Pabna–Rajbari Padma River Bridge
Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway
The second Muktarpur Bridge
The Dhaka Underground Metro Network is S Line and T Line
Sharyatpur–Chandpur Meghna River Bridge
The Bangladesh government stated that the total investment in these transportation projects is expected to exceed 1 trillion taka (approximately over 60 billion RMB), with most of the funding relying on international financing.
Among them, the second Jamuna River Bridge is regarded as an important campaign promise of the current government.
Currently, the Jamuna Bridge, which connects eastern and western Bangladesh, has become one of the busiest river crossings in the country, with traffic pressure continuing to increase. The new bridge is planned to be built between 2026 and 2031, with a total investment of about 175 billion taka, of which the government will cover 55 billion taka, while the remaining 120 billion thaka will be financed through international financing.
Another key project is the second Padma Bridge project, located on the Paturia to Dauladia corridor.
The total investment in the project is approximately 88.53 billion TAKA, planned to be implemented from 2026 to 2031. Once completed, it will further strengthen Dhaka's connection with western and southwestern Bangladesh, while improving transportation conditions at Mongla Port as well as the land border crossings of Benapole and Darshana.
In the field of urban rail transit, Bangladesh is advancing plans for the construction of the Dhaka Underground Metro network. According to the feasibility study, Dhaka plans to build an underground rail transit network totaling 238 kilometers with 11 lines to complement the existing MRT and BRT systems to alleviate long-term traffic congestion.
The first phase plans to complete four lines—B, O, S, and T—by 2030. Among them, the S and T routes have been included as key promotional projects for this visit to China:
S Line: Keraniganj—Kanchpur, 22.5 km long, 14 stations, total investment 58.5 billion TAKA;
T line: Narayanganj—Birulia, total length 35.24 kilometers, total investment 91.62 billion takas.
The relevant feasibility study has been completed, and Bangladesh hopes to obtain funding and technical support from China.
Bangladesh's Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury previously stated that the government plans to build an elevated expressway from Dhaka to Chittagong and is seeking financing support from China.
As one of Bangladesh's most important economic corridors, the Dhaka–Chittagong Expressway currently has a daily traffic volume exceeding 30,000 vehicles. The government believes that after the elevated expressway is completed, logistics and transportation efficiency will be further improved, transportation costs reduced, and trade development promoted.
According to sources from the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during this visit, both sides are expected to sign at least 15 cooperation documents covering infrastructure, agriculture, energy, trade, media, and other fields.
In addition, topics such as the Teesta River project, the construction of China's special economic zones, and port investment are also expected to be included in the discussion.
Analysts believe that this visit is not only Rahman's first visit to China since becoming Prime Minister, but will also be an important opportunity for Bangladesh and China to advance a new round of infrastructure cooperation. As Bangladesh accelerates the pace of transportation network construction, Chinese companies are expected to gain more opportunities to participate in areas such as bridges, highways, and urban rail transit in the future.
