Tk 3tn needed to fix failing road network: Transport Minister

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told parliament on Wednesday that the country’s road network is in such poor condition that an estimated Tk 3 trillion will be required to carry out urgent repairs and rehabilitation, .

Responding to a call to attention notice during a parliamentary session, the minister acknowledged that highways at the national, regional and district levels are in a “dilapidated” state despite significant spending reported under the previous administration.

He said that while large investments had been presented on paper in the infrastructure sector, the actual condition of many roads across the country tells a different story.

Answering a supplementary question from BNP lawmaker M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Rabiul conceded that members of parliament regularly face public pressure over deteriorating roads when visiting their constituencies.

“It is true that MPs come under immense pressure regarding road repairs,” he said. “In the past two months alone, the DO letters I have received suggest that around Tk 3 trillion would be needed to address the repair demands.”

However, he cautioned that the ministry is unlikely to receive more than Tk 300 billion to Tk 400 billion in budgetary allocation, creating a substantial funding shortfall.

Given the gap between needs and available resources, the minister said the government would prioritize projects based on urgency and importance. He assured lawmakers that critical road works would be incorporated into the upcoming national budget following consultations and feedback from across the political spectrum.