Editing Transport in Bangladesh

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{{Transport in Bangladesh}}
[[File:Un-bangladesh.png|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 of Bangladesh|independence]]. Eight major national highways connect the capital, [[Dhaka]], with [[Divisions of Bangladesh|divisional]] and [[Districts of Bangladesh|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 [[List of countries by traffic-related death rate|highest road accident fatality rates]]. They also suffer from high [[Traffic congestion|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 waterway]]s, though also declining, remains popular thanks to Bangladesh's extensive [[List of rivers of Bangladesh|river network]] and the use of ferries.

Air travel in Bangladesh is supported by three international and five domestic [[List of airports in Bangladesh|airports]], of which [[Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport|Hazrat Shahjalal]] is the largest and busiest. [[Biman Bangladesh Airlines|Biman Bangladesh]], the national [[airline]], and the privately-owned [[US-Bangla Airlines|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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-27 |title=Bangladesh moves up in World Bank logistics index |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/economy/2023/04/27/bangladesh-moves-up-in-world-bank-logistics-index |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=[[Dhaka Tribune]] |language=en}}</ref>

== Road ==
{{see also|List of roads in Bangladesh}}
With around {{Convert|370000|km|abbr=on|adj=off}} of roads, Bangladesh ranks 16th in the world for total length of road network.<ref name=":32">{{Cite CIA World Factbook|country=Bangladesh|access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> It has the highest road density in [[South Asia]] after India and ranks 13th globally.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2021 |title=Road density, km/surface area |url=https://prosperitydata360.worldbank.org/en/indicator/WEF+TTDI+ROADDENS |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Prosperity Data360 |publisher=[[World Bank]]}}</ref> However, only about 30 per cent, or {{Convert|110311|km|abbr=on|adj=off}}, of these roads are [[Paved (road)|paved]].<ref name=":32" /> The network maintained by the [[Roads and Highways Department]]{{Mdash}}the government agency responsible for the construction and upkeep of the country's major road and bridge network{{Mdash}}includes approximately {{Convert|4000|km|abbr=on|adj=off}} of national highways, {{Convert|5000|km|abbr=on|adj=off}} of regional highways, and {{Convert|13500|km|abbr=on|adj=off}} of [[Districts of Bangladesh|district]] (''zila'') roads.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://www.rhd.gov.bd/Documents/RHD_Zone_Circle_Divisionwise_Road_Length.pdf |title=RHD Zone, Circle and Division-wise Road Length (km) |date=May 2022 |publisher=Roads and Highways Department, Bangladesh |access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> As of January 2024, there are 410,532 private passenger car, 121,387 microbus, 4.34 million motorcycle and a total of almost 6 million vehicles including the ones already stated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-13 |title=Bangladesh Road Transport Authority: Number of Registered motor vehicles in Bangladesh (yearwise) |url=https://brta.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/brta.portal.gov.bd/page/6d849ccb_09aa_4fbe_aef2_3d254a2a0cd1/2024-02-13-06-58-00a465ab52ef0d35a090ca0610ebb75f.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241111074739/https://brta.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/brta.portal.gov.bd/page/6d849ccb_09aa_4fbe_aef2_3d254a2a0cd1/2024-02-13-06-58-00a465ab52ef0d35a090ca0610ebb75f.pdf |archive-date=2024-11-11 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=[[Bangladesh Road Transport Authority]]}}</ref> 

=== Highways ===
There are eight major national [[highway]]s, linking the capital with various divisional and district headquarters, port cities, and international routes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kabir |first=Humayun |date=20 March 2024 |title=New national highway to connect entire southwest with east |url=https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/new-national-highway-to-connect-entire-southwest-with-east-1710008521 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=The Financial Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-04 |title=Collect tolls from regional highways: PM Hasina |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/collect-tolls-regional-highways-pm-hasina-610926 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> The [[N1 (Bangladesh)|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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adhikary |first=Tuhin Shubhra |date=2019-09-30 |title=Dhaka-Ctg Highway Expansion: Example of wasting public money |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/dhaka-chittagong-highway-expansion-example-wasting-public-money-1807072 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> The [[Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Expressway|Dhaka–Mawa–Bhanga Expressway]], opened in 2020, is the first [[controlled-access highway]] in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sultana |first=Munima |date=1 Oct 2018 |title=Focus on fully access-controlled highways for speedy, safe traffic |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/focus-on-fully-access-controlled-highways-for-speedy-safe-traffic-1538368385 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=The Financial Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite conference |last1=Shoron |first1=B. M Ashikujzaman Nur |last2=Nur |first2=B. M. Assaduzzaman |last3=Shoulin |first3=Shayeda |last4=Alif |first4=Al Mahmud Hossain |date=February 2024 |title=Analyzing Dhaka-Mawa Expressway Drivers Safety Perceptions Based on Self-Reported Accident History |url=http://www.iccesd.com/proc_2024/Papers/202.pdf |conference=7th International Conference on Civil Engineering for Sustainable Development |location=Bangladesh}}</ref>

Three [[Asian Highway Network|Asian Highway]] routes pass through Bangladesh, with parts of the network undergoing upgrades to meet international standards. The routes are:<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Saif |first1=Saifuddin |last2=Rahman |first2=Yashab Osama |date=2021-09-28 |title=The Asian Highway: A pipe dream on paper |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/asian-highway-pipe-dream-paper-308839 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>

* [[AH1]]: [[Tamabil, Sylhet|Tamabil]] to [[Benapole]] ({{Convert|492|km}}), connecting to India at both ends.
* [[AH2]]: [[Tamabil, Sylhet|Tamabil]] to [[Banglabandha]] ({{Convert|517|km}}), also connecting to India at both ends.
* [[AH41]]: [[Teknaf Upazila|Teknaf]] to [[Mongla Upazila|Mongla]] ({{Convert|762|km}}), 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.<ref name=":18">{{Citation |title=IRF World Road Statistics |date=2023 |edition=60th |publisher=International Road Federation}}</ref> 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,<ref name=":18" /> and accounting for 88 per cent of passenger traffic in 2005.<ref name=":16" /> This marks a significant increase from the 9.2 billion passenger-kilometres recorded in 1975, which accounted for 54 per cent of passenger traffic.<ref name=":16" /> Additionally, approximately 535,000 vans, pickups, lorries, and tractors are actively used,<ref name=":18" /> transporting 80 per cent of cargo in 2005<ref name=":16" /> and covering 137.2 billion [[tonne-kilometres]] in 2021,<ref name=":18" /> a sharp increase from 900 million tonne-kilometres, comprising 35 per cent of cargo traffic, in 1975.<ref name=":16" />

The level of motorisation in the country remains considerably lower compared to many other nations.<ref name=":17">{{Cite magazine |last=Ahsan |first=Hasib Mohammed |date=July 2012 |title=Road Safety in Bangladesh: Key issues and countermeasures |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/forum/2012/July/road.htm |access-date=16 June 2024 |magazine=Forum |publisher=The Daily Star |volume=6 |issue=7}}</ref>

=== Issues ===

==== Safety ====
Bangladesh has one of the highest road accident fatality rates globally,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ethirajan |first=Anbarasan |date=2011-05-11 |title=Bangladesh kicks off UN road safety decade |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-13356780 |access-date=2024-06-16 |work=BBC News |location=Dhaka |language=en-GB}}</ref> with estimates from non-governmental sources reaching as high as 25,000 deaths in 2019, although official government figures are much lower.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-27 |title=Bangladesh 106th among 183 countries for having most road accidents: Report |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/bangladesh-106th-among-183-countries-having-most-road-accidents-report-335299 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[The Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> The annual road crash [[Mortality rate|deaths per capita]] in Bangladesh are twice the average rate for high-income countries and five times that of the best-performing countries worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sultana |first=Marium |date=29 Jul 2022 |title=Long way to road safety in Bangladesh: traffic accidents are still on the upward curve |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/60zkf3i6zr |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[bdnews24.com]] |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":17" />

Road safety concerns have sparked significant movements, such as [[Nirapad Sarak Chai]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-20 |title=সড়ক দুর্ঘটনায় প্রতি বছর বিশ্বে সাড়ে বারো লক্ষ মানুষ মারা যায় |trans-title=Twelve and a half lakh people die around the world in road accidents every year |url=https://www.voabangla.com/a/road-accident-death-sh/3015461.html |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=VOA Bangla |language=bn}}</ref> and mass protests, primarily led by students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-21 |title=Daylong protest over unsafe road |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/students-stage-demo-for-road-safety-movement-over-unsafe-road-in-dhaka-1718227 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=27 November 2021 |title=Student protests for road safety widen in Bangladesh |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/155825/student-protests-for-road-safety-widen-in-bangladesh |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[New Age (Bangladesh)|New Age]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=26 April 2024 |title=Cuet students suspend road safety protests, set to resume classes |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/education/344948/cuet-students-suspend-road-safety-protests-set-to |access-date=16 June 2024 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-22 |title=Students take to streets again |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/rights/news/students-take-streets-again-2944461 |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> A notable instance was the major [[2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests|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.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-08-02 |title=Bangladesh teenagers demanding road safety paralyse Dhaka |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45048012 |access-date=2024-06-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-08-06 |title=Bangladesh protests: How a traffic accident stopped a city of 18 million |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45080129 |access-date=2024-06-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-01 |title=Protest spreads outside Dhaka |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/safe-roads-demand-of-students-protest-spreads-outside-dhaka-bangladesh-1614331 |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haq |first=Rahbar Al |date=2019-11-06 |title=Road Transport Act 2018 – details, repercussions, reactions |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/shift/news/road-transport-act-2018-details-repurcussions-reactions-1823818 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Moazzem Hossain |date=16 December 2021 |title=Outcomes of road safety movements |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/education/outcomes-of-road-safety-movements-1639594287 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Financial Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jawad |first=Readus Salehen |date=2021-11-27 |title=Road deaths and protests: A cycle doomed to repeat itself |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/features/panorama/road-deaths-and-protests-cycle-doomed-repeat-itself-335329 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Shubhra Adhikary |first=Tuhin |date=2019-07-29 |title=A Year Since Road Safety Demo: Lofty promises, little action |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/road-safety-demo-in-bangladesh-lofty-promises-little-action-1778512 |access-date=2019-09-09 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref>

==== {{anchor|Traffic jams}}Congestion ====
{{transcluded section|source=Transport in Dhaka|part=yes}}
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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Shamsher |first1=Robaka |last2=Abdullah |first2=Mohamamd Nayeem |date=2015-03-01 |title=Traffic Congestion in Bangladesh- Causes and Solutions: A study of Chittagong Metropolitan City |url=http://journals.abc.us.org/index.php/abr/article/view/Shamsher |journal=Asian Business Review |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=13 |doi=10.17613/x0qb-6p60 |issn=2305-8730}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Noor |first1=Md. Asaduzzaman |last2=Ashrafi |first2=Sultana |last3=Fattah |first3=Md. Abdul |last4=Morshed |first4=Syed Riad |last5=Rahman |first5=Saima |date=2021-09-01 |title=Assessment of traffic congestion scenario at the CBD areas in a developing city: In the context of Khulna City, Bangladesh |journal=Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives |volume=11 |pages=100435 |doi=10.1016/j.trip.2021.100435 |issn=2590-1982|doi-access=free |bibcode=2021TrRIP..1100435N }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Masumuzzaman |date=17 December 2019 |title=Traffic congestion eats up revenue in Narayanganj city |url=https://bangladeshpost.net/posts/traffic-congestion-eats-up-revenue-in-narayanganj-city-20329 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=[[Bangladesh Post]] |language=en}}</ref> {{#section:Transport in Dhaka|congestion}} 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]].<ref name=":19">{{Cite journal |last1=Begum |first1=Bilkis A. |last2=Hopke |first2=Philip K. |date=2018 |title=Ambient Air Quality in Dhaka Bangladesh over Two Decades: Impacts of Policy on Air Quality |url=https://aaqr.org/articles/aaqr-17-11-2017aac-0465 |journal=Aerosol and Air Quality Research |language=en |volume=18 |issue=7 |pages=1910–1920 |doi=10.4209/aaqr.2017.11.0465}}</ref> In Bangladesh, pollution severity is exacerbated by a large number of high-polluting vehicles, impure fuel, inefficient land use, and poor traffic management.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Masud Karim |first=Md |date=1999-09-01 |title=Traffic pollution inventories and modeling in metropolitan Dhaka, Bangladesh |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920999000103 |journal=Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment |volume=4 |issue=5 |pages=291–312 |doi=10.1016/S1361-9209(99)00010-3 |bibcode=1999TRPD....4..291M |issn=1361-9209}}</ref> [[Leaded gasoline]] was banned in 1999,<ref name=":19" /> and the change to [[compressed natural gas]] (CNG) cars in early 2000s saved over 4,000 premature deaths in 2009, but their low cost has increased the number of cars on the roads (although CNG price increases may have tempered the increase) and decreased the amount of natural gas available for other purposes.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Sunny |first=Sanwar |author-link=Sanwar Azam Sunny |title=Green Buildings, Clean Transport and the Low Carbon Economy: Towards Bangladesh's Vision of a Greener Tomorrow |publisher=LAP Publishers |year=2011 |isbn=978-3-8465-9333-2 |location=Germany}}</ref>{{Rp|page=234}}

Dhaka is the noisiest city in the world,<ref name="f817">{{cite web |date=27 March 2022 |title=Dhaka world's noisiest city, Rajshahi 4th on list: UN report |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/environment/news/dhaka-worlds-noisiest-city-rajshahi-4th-list-un-report-2991571 |access-date=16 June 2024 |website=The Daily Star}}</ref> with levels 1.3 to 2 times higher than acceptable limits.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shitu |first=Shanchita |date=26 April 2023 |title=Noise pollution is increasing, exceeding all standards |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/dhaka/283683/noise-pollution-is-increasing-exceeding-all |access-date=16 June 2024 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]]}}</ref> The [[Farmgate]] intersection in Dhaka experiences the highest noise pollution at 135.6 [[decibel]]s, while the least polluted area, [[Uttara (neighbourhood)|Uttara]]-14, registers 100.8 decibels, still far above the permissible level.<ref name=":20">{{Cite web |last=Mithu |first=Ariful Islam |date=2019-09-21 |title=Banned, yet ubiquitous |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/feature/banned-yet-ubiquitous |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> [[Rajshahi]] ranked the fourth noisiest in the world,<ref name="f817" /> while noise levels are also above acceptable limits in other cities like Chittagong,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Aziz |first1=Md Abdul |last2=Karim |first2=Ahasanul |last3=Masum |first3=Md Mehedi Hassan |last4=Newaz |first4=Kazi Kader |title=Evaluation of Noise Environment and Noise Mapping with ArcGIS in Chittagong City, Bangladesh |journal=Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers |date=2021 |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=230–240 |language=English |doi=10.4491/KSEE.2021.43.4.230|doi-access=free }}</ref> [[Sylhet]],<ref name="b253">{{cite journal |last1=Alam |first1=J. B. |last2=Alam |first2=M. Jobair Bin |last3=Rahman |first3=M. M. |last4=Dikshit |first4=A. K. |last5=Khan |first5=S. K. |date=12 March 2006 |title=Study On Traffıc Noıse Level Of Sylhet By Multiple Regression Analysis Associated With Health Hazards |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26488531 |journal=Iranian Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=71–78 |issn=1735-1979 |access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref> [[Comilla]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tajmim |first=Tawsia |date=2022-11-08 |title=Noise pollution causing hearing loss in those who work on city roads |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/noise-pollution-causing-hearing-loss-those-who-work-city-roads-528018 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> and [[Khulna]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sultana |first1=Aliza |last2=Paul |first2=Ashok Kumar |last3=Nessa |first3=Meher Un |date=2020-09-14 |title=The Status of Noise Pollution in the Major Traffic Intersections of Khulna Metropolitan City in Bangladesh and its Possible Effect on Noise-Exposed People |url=https://www.ej-geo.org/index.php/ejgeo/article/view/58 |journal=European Journal of Environment and Earth Sciences |language=en |volume=1 |issue=5 |doi=10.24018/ejgeo.2020.1.5.58 |issn=2684-446X}}</ref> Despite a ban on the import of loud hydraulic horns in 2017, they remain in widespread illegal use.<ref name=":20" />

== Rail ==
{{main|Bangladesh Railway}}The national rail infrastructure is primarily passenger-focused,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saif |first=Saifuddin |date=2022-10-24 |title=Railway plans big for Dhaka-Ctg freight transport |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/railway-plans-big-dhaka-ctg-freight-transport-519454 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> managed by the state-owned [[Bangladesh Railway]] (BR), which was largely inherited from the [[British Raj|British]] [[Assam Bengal Railway]] system after the [[partition of India]] in 1947.<ref name=":7">{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Abul Fida|first=Quazi|article=Railway}}</ref> There are about 500 railway stations,<ref name=":8" /> with [[Kamalapur railway station|Dhaka Kamalapur]] being the largest and busiest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Zafar |date=30 Nov 2022 |title='All roads lead to Kamalapur': how the Dhaka area is set to be transformed into a multimodal transport hub |url=https://bdnews24.com/economy/ogh85fy4r1 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=[[bdnews24.com]] |language=en}}</ref> In 2023, Bangladesh Railway operated 402 trains daily,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Islam |first=Jahidul |date=2023-11-04 |title=3 new rail lines open, but not enough manpower, rolling stock |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/transport/3-new-rail-lines-open-not-enough-manpower-rolling-stock-732590 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> and 40 were operated by private companies ({{As of|2022|lc=y}}),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-10 |title=Cost of train operation by pvt company per passenger Tk 2.43 per km, income 62 paisa |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/cost-train-operation-pvt-company-tk-243-km-income-62-paisa-3020541 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> a practice permitted since the early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chowdhury |first=Kamran Reza |date=11 Dec 2009 |title=BR-run train nets more money |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/br-run-train-nets-more-money |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=[[bdnews24.com]] |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Akhter |first=Shahin |date=23 May 2024 |title=Draft rail law allows private train service |url=https://www.newagebd.net/post/country/235828/draft-rail-law-allows-private-train-service |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=[[New Age (Bangladesh)|New Age]] |language=en}}</ref>[[File:Parabat Express.jpg|thumb|alt=Green passenger train pulled by a blue diesel engine|Bangladesh Railway's [[Parabat Express]] at [[Sylhet railway station]]]]Bangladesh Railway has approximately {{convert|3100|km|mi}} of main and branch lines (route km) linking 43 of the 64 [[Districts of Bangladesh|districts]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |url=https://railway.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/railway.portal.gov.bd/page/4ec73cd2_6646_426f_ade5_6c05960865d4/INFORMATION%20BOOK%202020.pdf |title=Information Book |publisher=[[Bangladesh Railway]] |edition=2020 |location=Dhaka |publication-date=2020}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Adhikary |first=Tuhin Shubhra |date=2023-07-25 |title=A long stride for rail connectivity |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/long-stride-rail-connectivity-3377621 |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> Of these, the majority, covering {{convert|1680|km|mi|abbr=on}}, are [[Metre-gauge railway|metre-gauge]] tracks, mainly in the central and eastern regions. About {{convert|880|km|mi|abbr=on}} are {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} [[Broad-gauge railway|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 {{convert|533|km|mi|abbr=on}} converted.<ref name=":8" /> Since independence in 1971, few new tracks were laid until the early 20s, when four additional districts were connected.<ref name=":6" />

In 2020, 64 million passengers travelled by rail in Bangladesh, accumulating nearly 10 billion [[Passenger-kilometer|passenger-kilometres]].<ref name=":8" /> Despite the railway's emphasis on [[Inter-city rail|intercity]] services,<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Islam |first=Jahidul |date=2024-01-02 |title=Local trains keep closing. Will it make railways viable? |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/local-trains-keep-closing-will-it-make-railways-viable-768106 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> which earned the majority of revenue, almost half of these passengers were on local routes.<ref name=":8" /> More than three million tonnes of cargo were transported, totalling over one billion [[Tonne kilometer|tonne-kilometres]],<ref name=":8" /> handled by two [[Dry port|inland container depots]] (dry ports): one at Kamalapur, Dhaka, and the other at Pangaon, which is connected to [[Chittagong port]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saif |first=Saifuddin |date=2023-09-03 |title=Will more freight tracks, ICDs change Railway's future? |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/will-more-freight-tracks-icds-change-railways-future-694126 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hossain |first=Anowar |date=2022-09-24 |title=Number of trains decline despite huge investment in railways |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/ho9tx2x5xd |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Prothom Alo English |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adhikary |first=Tuhin Shubhra |date=2022-02-24 |title=Bangladesh railway: Losses and poor show continue |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/bangladesh-railway-loss-continues-poor-show-too-2968916 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>

About 93 million passengers used railways in 2019, while the figure was 73 million in 1970.<ref name=":8" /> However, the [[modal share]] of rail transport has been decreasing since 1975, dropping from 30 per cent of passenger traffic and 28 per cent of cargo traffic to just 4 per cent for both in 2005.<ref name=":16">{{Cite report |url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/188341468206977809/Bangladesh-Revival-of-inland-water-transport-options-and-strategies |title=Bangladesh - Revival of inland water transport : options and strategies |date=29 May 2007 |publisher=[[World Bank]] |page=18 |access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the country has only [[MRT Line 6|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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Heather |date=2022-12-29 |title=One of the world's most congested cities just opened its first metro line |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/dhaka-bangladesh-public-transport-metro-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

=== Important links ===
The [[Hardinge Bridge]], opened in 1915, connected the south-western railways to the north-western regions divided by the [[Padma River]].<ref>{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Chowdhury|first=Sifatul Quader|article=Hardinge Bridge}}</ref> The Bhairab Railway Bridge (also Bangladesh–UK Friendship Bridge), opened in 1937, facilitates communication between Dhaka and [[Chittagong]] over the [[Meghna River]].<ref name=":7" /> The [[Combined bridge|combined]] [[Bangabandhu Bridge]], opened in 1998, connects the eastern and western rail networks, which were previously separated by the [[Jamuna River (Bangladesh)|Jamuna River]].<ref>{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Ahmed|first=Helal Uddin|article=Bangabandhu Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge}}</ref> A dedicated rail bridge beside it is planned to be opened by August 2024 to meet growing traffic demands.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saif |first=Saifuddin |date=2023-09-25 |title=Jamuna rail bridge: East part progressing but west lags behind |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/transport/jamuna-rail-bridge-east-part-progressing-west-lags-behind-706558 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>{{Update after|2024|09|reason=Update status when opened}}

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.<ref>{{Cite map|title=Bangladesh Showing Railways 2013|url=https://railway.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/railway.portal.gov.bd/page/1df45c81_b42f_43e9_a498_8563450189d9/m_m_10%20Bangladesh%20Map%201_02.pdf|date=2013|publisher=[[Bangladesh Railway]]}}</ref> The crucial [[Padma Bridge Rail Link Project]], scheduled for completion by mid-2024, aims to address this issue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-10 |title=Southwestern Region: Padma rail link to open new horizon |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/southwestern-region-padma-rail-link-open-new-horizon-3439086 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>{{Update after|2024|09|reason=Update status when opened}}

=== 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adhikary |first=Tuhin Shubhra |date=2019-09-04 |title=Maitree to run 6 days a week |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/maitree-express-run-dhaka-to-kolkata-6-days-week-1795198 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> A second rail service, the [[Bandhan Express]], connecting [[Kolkata]] and [[Khulna District|Khulna]], began in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-07 |title=Khulna-Kolkata Bandhan Express starts journey Nov 9 |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/khulna-kolkata-bandhan-express-train-service-starts-journey-november-9-1487644 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en |agency=[[United News of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> A third service, the [[Mitali Express]], from [[Siliguri]] to Dhaka, started in June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=Mitali on its maiden run |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/mitali-its-maiden-run-3037216 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>

Bangladesh is part of the [[Trans–Asian railway|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]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mamun |first=Shohel |date=16 January 2022 |title=Trans Asian Railway loses priority as Bangladesh-Myanmar ties remain strained |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/262004/trans-asian-railway-loses-priority-as |access-date=10 June 2024 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Saif |first=Saifuddin |date=2021-12-28 |title=Little benefit holds railway back from Ramu-Gundum rail line |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/little-benefit-holds-railway-back-ramu-gundum-rail-line-349687 |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>
<!--{{Asia in topic|Rail transport in}} -->

== {{anchor|Airlines|Airports|Air travel}}Air ==
{{See also|History of aviation in Bangladesh}}
Air travel in Bangladesh peaked at over 17 million passengers in 2023.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Kamran |date=2024-02-17 |title=Record 17m air passengers last year propel Dhaka airport to Tk2,400cr revenue |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/aviation/record-17m-air-passengers-last-year-propel-dhaka-airport-tk2400cr-revenue-794054 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[The Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> The [[Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh]], which manages and regulates [[civil aviation]] activities in the country,<ref>{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Saleh Uddin|first=Syed Mohd|article=Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh}}</ref> 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 [[Hajj|pilgrimage]]. Conversely, 3.5 million travellers arrived in Bangladesh during the same period.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Parvez |first1=Sohel |last2=Hasan |first2=Rashidul |date=2023-04-12 |title=Int'l air travels surge in Bangladesh in 2022 |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/intl-air-travels-surge-bangladesh-2022-3294916 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> Approximately 285,000 tonnes of cargo were transported by air in 2023, with over 30 airlines operating cargo flights to and from the country.<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |date=2023-11-30 |title=Airfreight in a downspin due to lower trade |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/airfreight-downspin-due-lower-trade-3482031 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>

=== Airports ===
{{See also|List of airports in Bangladesh}}
[[File:Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.jpg|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,<ref>{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Alam|first=Jobair Bin|article=Air Transport}}</ref> handling 11.6 million passengers in 2023, which included 52 per cent of domestic and international flights.<ref name=":12" /> That year, it served 9.4 million international passengers,<ref name=":12" /> with 33 international airlines operating about 160 daily flights.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Kamran |date=2023-05-29 |title=More foreign airlines keen to connect Bangladesh |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/aviation/more-foreign-airlines-keen-connect-bangladesh-639986 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[The Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, it handled 2.2 million domestic passengers<ref name=":12" /> with four private airlines<ref name="thedailystar.net">{{Cite web |date=2024-03-24 |title=Fly Dhaka set to become country's newest private airline: CEO |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/aviation/news/fly-dhaka-set-become-countrys-newest-private-airline-ceo-3573866 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> and one national airline conducting 170 daily domestic flights.<ref name=":13" /> Hazrat Shahjalal processed about 96 per cent of the total [[air freight]],<ref name=":21" /> handling a daily average of 400 to 500 tonnes of cargo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uddin |first=Jasim |date=2023-10-25 |title=Bangladesh air cargo industry likely to double in next 5 years |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/supplement/bangladesh-air-cargo-industry-likely-double-next-5-years-726270 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref> Originally built to handle eight million annual passengers, the airport's capacity is expected to more than double to 20 million once the modern [[Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport#Terminal 3|third terminal]] opens fully in October 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 February 2024 |title=Construction of Dhaka airport's 3rd terminal to be fully completed by April 5 |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/340518/construction-of-dhaka-airport%E2%80%99s-3rd-terminal-set |access-date=11 June 2024 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]] |agency=[[United News of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>{{Update after|2024|11}}

Chittagong's [[Shah Amanat International Airport]] ranks second, handling 17 percent of passengers.<ref name=":12" /> As of 2022, six foreign and two domestic airlines operates flights from Shah Amanat, primarily to destinations in the [[Middle East]]. The airport, undergoing significant expansions and renovations, has reported a 20 per cent increase in annual revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Azad |first=Abu |date=2022-09-23 |title=Dev work pays off: Ctg airport's revenue hit record high in FY22 |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/aviation/dev-work-pays-ctg-airports-revenue-hit-record-high-fy22-501910 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[The Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Osmani International Airport]] in [[Sylhet]] is the third, having seen its first international flight in 2017,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-16 |title=First direct international flight lands at Sylhet airport |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/first-direct-international-flight-lands-sylhet-airport-1376566 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> and is also undergoing major expansions as of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Debu |first=Debashish |date=2023-11-11 |title=Design flaws stall Sylhet airport expansion, causing costs, time overruns |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/aviation/design-flaws-stall-sylhet-airport-expansion-causing-costs-time-overruns-737130 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[The Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref>

In addition to the international airports, there are five operational airports handling domestic-only flights: [[Barisal Airport|Barisal]], [[Cox's Bazar Airport|Cox's Bazar]], [[Jessore Airport|Jessore]], [[Shah Makhdum Airport|Shah Makhdum]] ([[Rajshahi]]), and [[Saidpur Airport|Saidpur]] ([[Nilphamari District|Nilphamari]]). Nearly all services at these airports are to or from Dhaka.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tahmid |first=Nafiz |date=15 Nov 2021 |title=Airports in Bangladesh: Domestic and International |url=https://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/airports-in-bangladesh-domestic-and-international/82318 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[United News of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

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 [[Chittagong–Cox's Bazar line|new railway link]] opened in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Kamran |date=2023-12-12 |title=Domestic airlines lose passengers to better road, rail service |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/aviation/domestic-airlines-lose-passengers-better-road-rail-service-755870 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[The Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Antu |first=Golam Mortuja |date=25 Feb 2023 |title=Can small, abandoned airfields revive Bangladesh's civil aviation? |url=https://bdnews24.com/aviation/mi220k0fz7 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[bdnews24.com]] |language=en}}</ref> Despite this, the government has undertaken projects worth {{BDTConvert|350|b}} to modernise all airports by 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 Jan 2023 |title=Tk 350b projects to modernise all airports to be completed by this year |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/tk-350b-projects-to-modernise-all-airports-to-be-completed-by-this-year-1675077279 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Financial Express |language=en}}</ref> Cox's Bazar airport is being upgraded to international status as of 2024,{{Update after|2025}} which includes extending its runway to become the longest in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hossain |first=Anwar |date=2 Mar 2024 |title=Cox's Bazar airport int'l upgrade nears completion |url=https://bangladeshpost.net/posts/cox-s-bazar-airport-int-l-upgrade-nears-completion-132839 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[Bangladesh Post]] |language=en}}</ref> Saidpur airport is being turned into a regional hub to facilitate flights from neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and [[Northeast India|north-east India]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Asaduzzaman |first=E. A. M. |date=2023-01-01 |title=Saidpur airport to boost connectivity with Nepal, Bhutan |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/saidpur-airport-boost-connectivity-nepal-bhutan-3209861 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rashid |first=Muktadir |date=4 January 2023 |title=India inquires about delay in Saidpur airport expansion |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/190806/india-inquires-about-delay-in-saidpur-airport-expansion |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=[[New Age (Bangladesh)|New Age]] |language=en}}</ref> while [[Khan Jahan Ali Airport]] in [[Khulna Division|Khulna]] is still under construction, as of 2023.<ref name=":14" />

=== Airlines ===
{{See also|List of airlines of Bangladesh}}
[[File:S2-AJA - Boeing 737-8Q8 - US-Bangla Airlines - VGHS.jpg|alt=A US-Bangla Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft with tail number S2-AJA is taking off from a runway. In the background, a cityscape of modern high-rise buildings is visible. The runway is surrounded by green grass.|thumb|A US-Bangla [[Boeing 737]] taking off from Dhaka airport runway]]
[[Biman Bangladesh Airlines]], the country's [[national airline]], served eight domestic destinations and 22 international destinations in 16 countries, in 2023.<ref name=":15">{{Cite news |last=Abdullah |first=Mamun |date=9 September 2023 |title=Why are foreign airlines eager to fly from Dhaka? |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/324787/why-are-foreign-airlines-eager-to-fly-from-dhaka |access-date=11 June 2024 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]]}}</ref> The airline, founded in 1972, has its hub at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.<ref>{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Saleh Uddin|first=Syed Mohd|article=Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited}}</ref>

Other Bangladeshi-registered passenger airlines include [[US-Bangla Airlines]], [[Novoair]], [[Air Astra]], and [[Fly Dhaka Airlines|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.<ref name="thedailystar.net"/>

Foreign airlines dominate about 75 per cent of the international route market, with the remaining 25 per cent held by Biman and US-Bangla Airlines. Additionally, more than 80 per cent of the domestic market is controlled by US-Bangla Airlines and Air Astra, both owned by US-Bangla Group. Biman holds less than 20 per cent of the domestic market share, while Novoair covers the rest.<ref name=":15" />

Dedicated cargo airlines of Bangladesh include [[Bismillah Airlines]], [[Easy Fly Express]], [[SkyAir]], [[Hello Airlines]] and NXT Air.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jeffrey |first=Rebecca |date=2021-12-22 |title=New Bangladesh airline to enter market in 2022 |url=https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/freighter-operator/new-bangladesh-airline-to-enter-market-in-2022/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=Air Cargo News |language=en}}</ref>

== {{anchor|Ports and harbours|Merchant marine}}Water ==
[[File:সারি সারি পাল তোলা নৌকা.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Boats with brightly coloured sails|Small wooden boats, used to transport passengers and freight.]]

=== Inland waterways ===
There are approximately {{convert|3600|–|6000|km|mi}} of [[navigable waterways]] depending on the season,<ref name=":1"/><ref name=":2"/> including up to {{convert|3060|km}} of major cargo routes.<ref name=":32"/> In 2009, it was reported that 20 million tonnes of freight and 90 million passengers utilised inland waterways for transportation annually. However, this number has been in decline,<ref name=":4" /> particularly following the opening of the [[Padma Bridge]] in 2022, which significantly reduced travel time between south-western Bangladesh and the capital, Dhaka, by road and rail.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 April 2024 |title=Launches see reduced demand ahead of Eid as people opt for road options |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/343653/launches-see-reduced-demand-ahead-of-eid-as-people |access-date=3 June 2024 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]] |agency=[[United News of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":16" /> The [[Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority]] (BIWTA) is responsible for the development, maintenance, and regulation of inland water transport and navigable waterways in Bangladesh.<ref name=":4"/>

=== Ferries ===
{{See also|Country boats in Bangladesh}}
The country's extensive river network makes [[Ferry|ferries]] a practical and affordable mode of transport. Passenger ferries, locally referred to as "launches," are widely used to travel to the southern and south-western regions of Bangladesh from the capital.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haque |first=Ashraful |date=2022-05-17 |title=Utilising waterways: When common home-goers show the way |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/features/panorama/utilising-waterways-when-common-home-goers-show-way-421334 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sourav |first1=Md. Mohaimenul Islam |last2=Abeer |first2=Asif Ahmed |last3=Bhuiyan |first3=Abir Hasan |date=2024-04-30 |title=Quantifications of service quality factors using the relative importance index method for passenger ferry service in Bangladesh |journal=Discover Civil Engineering |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=7 |doi=10.1007/s44290-024-00008-8 |issn=2948-1546|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Iqbal |first1=Kho Shahriar |last2=Hasegawa |first2=Kazuhiko |last3=Bulian |first3=Gabriele |last4=Karim |first4=Md. Mashud |last5=Ibn Awal |first5=Zobair |date=October 2007 |title=Passenger Ferry Accidents in Bangladesh: Design and Socio-economic Aspects |url=https://zobair.buet.ac.bd/Publications/2007%20-%20Iqbal%20et%20al%20(PRADS).pdf |journal=10th International Symposium on Practical Design of Ships and Other Floating Structures |location=Houston, Texas |publisher=American Bureau of Shipping |quote=...passenger ferries (locally called as "launch")...}}</ref> The most popular destinations include [[Barisal District|Barisal]], [[Bhola District|Bhola]], [[Patuakhali District|Patuakhali]], and [[Khulna District|Khulna]]. Additionally, there are water-transport routes connecting Dhaka with [[Kolkata]] in India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Islam |first=Nazrul |date=2017-02-23 |title=A story of significant progress |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/drivers-economy/story-significant-progress-1364827 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Picture of Launch.JPG|thumb|A triple-decker launch (passenger ferry) on a river in Bangladesh]]
Approximately 200 launches operate across 107 water routes throughout the country {{As of|2022|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Talukdar |first=Kamal Hossain |date=23 Jun 2022 |title=River transporters stare into an unknown future as Bangladesh's longest bridge appears |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/river-transporters-stare-into-an-unknown-future-as-bangladeshs-longest-bridge-appears |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=[[bdnews24.com]] |language=en}}</ref> To support the launch services, the BIWTA has developed 292 wharfs ([[Ghat|''ghats'']]) for the docking of these vessels,<ref name=":1">{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Water Transport|article-url=Water Transport|first=AKM Nurul|last=Alam}}</ref> and oversees 380 launch terminals.<ref name=":4">{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority|article-url=Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority|first=Mahbubul|last=Alam}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Akhter |first1=Shahin |last2=Biswas |first2=Shahjahan |date=28 October 2021 |title=Most Bangladesh ferries run without fitness, some after lifespan |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/153045/most-bangladesh-ferries-run-without-fitness-some-after-lifespan |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=[[New Age (Bangladesh)|New Age]] |language=en}}</ref>

More than 800,000<ref name=":4" /> small and medium wooden [[sailboat]]s and [[rowboats]], often retrofitted to be motorised,<ref name=":10">{{Cite Banglapedia|last=Nasreen|first=Zobaida|article=Boat}}</ref> are an important means of transportation for people and goods across the country, especially during the rainy season.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":10" /> These boats transport over 1.2 million tonnes of freight annually.<ref name=":4" /> Among these are the [[Dinghy|''dingi'']], which is the oldest form of Bengal boat. Larger cargo boats includes vessels such as the ''balam'', ''bajra'' and ''[[sampan]]''. Under the category of ''bainkata'' (flat-bottomed) boats are the ''ghasi'', ''gachari'', ''dorakha'', ''kathami'', ''mallar'', ''patam'' and ''panshi'', among others. Ubiquitous throughout Bangladesh, especially in monsoon flood-prone regions, is the ''kosha,'' a small, highly manoeuvrable boat that is easy to operate. These various traditional wooden boats play a vital role in providing transportation during the rainy season when other modes become impractical due to flooding.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Sarkar |first=Shihab |date=28 Jun 2019 |title=Country boats: Nation's ever-living emblem |url=https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/print/country-boats-nations-ever-living-emblem-1561642488 |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=The Financial Express}}</ref>

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.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Uddin |first1=Md. Imran |last2=Islam |first2=M. Rafiqul |last3=Awal |first3=Zobair Ibn |last4=Newaz |first4=Kazi Md. Shifun |date=2017 |title=An Analysis of Accidents in the Inland Waterways of Bangladesh: Lessons from a Decade (2005-2015) |journal=Procedia Engineering |language=en |volume=194 |pages=291–297 |doi=10.1016/j.proeng.2017.08.148 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In 2014, the launch ''Pinak 6'' sank in the [[Padma River]] with more than 200 passengers aboard near [[Munshiganj District|Munshiganj's]] [[Louhajang Upazila]].<ref>{{cite web |date=4 Aug 2014 |title=Launch sinks in Padma with over 200 passengers |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/launch-sinks-in-padma-with-over-200-passengers |access-date=3 June 2024 |website=[[bdnews24.com]]}}</ref>

=== Merchant marine ===
{{As of|2023}}, the country's [[merchant navy]] consisted of 558 ships, including 68 [[bulk carrier]]s, 10 [[container ship]]s, 170 [[cargo ship]]s and 162 [[oil tanker]]s.<ref name=":32"/> The [[Bangladesh Shipping Corporation]], a state-owned entity overseeing the management of ocean-going vessels, has seven ships in its fleet, including tanker ships dedicated to transporting oil for [[Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation]] and five ships operating on a [[Chartering (shipping)|charter basis]] for carrying oil, chemicals, and other products.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Islam |first1=Rafiqul |last2=Chowdhury |first2=Shahadat Hossain |date=2023-11-17 |title=Shipping Corp embarks on fleet expansion with 21 new vessels |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/shipping-corp-embarks-fleet-expansion-21-new-vessels-741018 |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>

=== 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:

[[Port of Dhaka|Dhaka]], [[Port of Narayanganj|Narayanganj]], [[Port of Barisal|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.<ref name=":5" />

In addition to these major ports, there are 448 small to medium-sized ports throughout the country.<ref name=":5">{{Cite Banglapedia|article=River Port|first=Fazilatun|last=Nesa|last2=Khademul Haque|first2=AKM}}</ref>

[[Chittagong port|Chittagong]] is the busiest [[sea port]] in Bangladesh, handling 92 per cent of the country's international cargo, followed by [[Port of Mongla|Mongla]]<ref>{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Sea Port|last=Akhter Hossain|first=Khandakar}}</ref> and [[Port of Payra|Payra]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hossain |first=Sohrab |date=2023-03-23 |title=Payra port to see larger vessels from April |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/industries/ports-and-shipping/news/payra-port-see-larger-vessels-april-3278461 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> The [[Matarbari Port]], under construction, will be the first deep-sea port capable of accommodating large ships by 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |date=2023-01-17 |title=Matarbari deep-sea port to open in 2026 |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/matarbari-deep-sea-port-open-2026-3223071 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>{{Update after|2026|07}}

== Pipelines ==
In 2013, Bangladesh had about {{convert|2950|km}} of [[natural gas]] [[pipeline]]s.<ref name=":32"/> In 2023, the first cross-border pipeline to import [[petroleum]] products from India was inaugurated, totalling {{Convert|131.57|km}} in length.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-18 |title=Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline inaugurated |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/sqxqtv9f02 |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=Prothom Alo English |language=en}}</ref> In the same year, the first under-sea pipeline to transport [[Petroleum|crude oil]] and [[Diesel fuel|diesel]] from a deep-sea [[mooring]], spanning {{Convert|110|km}}, was commissioned.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |date=2023-07-03 |title=Country's first undersea pipeline now in service |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/countrys-first-undersea-pipeline-now-service-3359511 |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>

==Neighbouring countries ==
{{anchor | India-bangladesh relations | Bangladesh–Myanmar relations }}
Bangladesh shares border with two nations, India and Myanmar.

* [[Transport between India and Bangladesh]]
* [[Bangladesh–Myanmar_border|Transport between Myanmar and Bangladesh]]

==See also==

* [[Exclusive economic zone of India|Maritime boundary of Bangladesh with India]]

== References ==
{{Commons category|Transport in Bangladesh}}
{{Portal|Bangladesh|Transport}}
{{reflist}}
For open truck network https://titastransportbd.com/truckrental.html

{{Asia topic|Transport in}}{{Economy of Bangladesh}}{{Bangladesh topics}}{{CIA World Factbook}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Bangladesh}}
[[Category:Transport in Bangladesh| ]]
[[Category:Communications in Bangladesh| ]]