SDG Progress of RTHD

Background Information

In the 70th UN General Assembly, the UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to
end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. Under 17 SDGs,
169 targets are set to achieve the goals over the next 15 years. Among the 17 goals developed by
the UN, Goal-3, Goal-9, and Goal-11 are related to the Road Transport and Highways
Division (RTHD) in connection with infrastructure development and sustainable transport
system. RTHD’s involvement as a lead ministry for goals and targets is:

Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Target 3.6: By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents

Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and
foster innovation

Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional
and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a
focus on affordable and equitable access for all.

Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to a safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport
system for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special
attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, and children, persons with
disabilities and older persons.

Besides, according to the SDG mapping, various Ministries/Divisions prepared by GED Road
Transport and Highways Division have been designated associate ministries for 5 targets (8.9,
9.4, 9. a, 9. b, and 12.7).

Progress of Road Transport and Highways Division:

Target 3.6:
Policy Interventions

• BRTA has published the 8th National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan 2021-2024,
aligning with SDG target 3.6 and now it is being implemented

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• 7th National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan 2017-2020 has been implemented

• “Road Transport Act, 2018“is being implemented

• Government has declared 22 October as “The National Road Safety Day”

• Plying of three-wheelers and all sorts of non-motorized vehicles has been banned on 22
National Highways since August 2015

• All unauthorized vehicles, including battery-operated three-wheeler/Easy Bike, have

been banned on all National and Regional Highways

• 111 National Road Safety Council recommendations are being implemented to create a
work plan to ensure a disciplined road transport sector

Services

• Issuance of Motor Vehicle Fitness Certificate from any circle office has been open since
2020. The fitness certificate of any motor vehicle can be obtained from any circle office
of BRTA.

• The service of BRTA Service Portal such as Learner Driving License, Rideshare
Enlistment Certificate, Acknowledgement of Appointment for Fitness Renewal and
various service-related information, are also available through BRTA Sheba App
(Android Apps

• Driving license services have been revolutionized

Training/Workshop

• BRTA arranges the re-fresher training program regularly to develop skills and awareness
for professional drivers.

• BRTA arranges training programs for professional drivers in each fiscal year.

• BRTA has a program to arrange seminars & workshops in Dhaka and 64 district
headquarters to enhance awareness of the drivers, pedestrians, passengers, and road
users.

• BRTC will train a huge number of drivers under the SEIP program in 05 years. A
significant number of drivers have been trained already.

• Under 20 training centers of BRTC, 8121, 8470, 9239,7420, 6952, and 9063 trainees
(men and women) have been trained in the fiscal year 2016-2017, 2017-18, 2018-19,
2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 (till February 2022) respectively.

Awareness Building

• Road safety & public awareness building messages depicting the urgency of helmet
wearing for motorcycle drivers, using a seat belt for the drivers and passengers

• BRTA distributes road safety-related posters and stickers among drivers, pedestrians,
passengers, and road users throughout the country
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• Using Zebra crossing, foot over bridge, and underpass is regularly transmitted through
public and private FM band radio channels

Enforcement/Monitoring

• Road Safety Audit of 300 Kilometers has been completed for auditing another 255
Kilometers of roads.

• RTHD has set up a Control Room in BRTA to ensure seamless traffic during Eid and
reduce road accident fatalities.

• As a part of strengthening enforcement activities, BRTA conducts mobile courts

regularly.

Facilitating/Boosting up of Infrastructures

• RHD implements a project named “Construction of restrooms with parking facilities for
truck drivers on 4 National Highways”- Dhaka-Chatrogram, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-
Rangpur, and Dhaka-Khulna at Cumilla, Habiganj, Shirajganj and Magura, respectively

• 172 black spots on different Roads and Highways Network sections were repaired.
Among 252 black spots, the repair of the remaining 80 black spots will be taken up under
the project “Road Safety of National and Regional Highways”.

• Pedestrian underpass near Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment School and College on
Dhaka Airport Highway was constructed

Facilitating/Boosting up of Infrastructures

• A study project was implemented to develop 693 intersections under the RHD network.
The designs of intersections are being implemented based on the study’s findings to
reduce traffic jams and ensure road safety.

• Out of 3943.69 km of National Highways, 480.35 km of highways are already improved

into four or more lanes.

• Another 720 km (approx.) of highways are being upgraded with SMVT lanes under
SASEC-II, Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil, Jessore-Jhenaidah, and a few other projects.

Facilitating/Boosting up of Infrastructures

• BRTA has renovated one of the two VIC in Dhaka City

• BRTA plans to gradually renovate the other four VICS in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna,
and Rajshahi and establish VIC in eleven greater districts

• BRTA registered 120 driving training schools in the private sector since 2010

• BRTA has the plan to establish Motor Driving Testing and Training Center in each
division and 16 greater districts

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 Projects/Programs

• The Bangladesh Road Safety Program (BRSP), financed by World Bank, is being
implemented now.

• A project, “Improving the Reliability and Safety in National Highway corridors of

Bangladesh by Introducing ITS,” is being implemented under KOICA.

Target 9.1

Feasibility Study and Detail Designs

• Feasibility study and detailed design of 1752 km of highways have been completed
under the SRTPPF-I project.

• Feasibility study and detailed design of 600 km are completed under the SRTPPF-II
project.

• Feasibility study and detailed design of 1480 km are also going on under the Road
Transport Connectivity project.

• Feasibility study of Dhaka Inner Circular Road -63km has been completed.

Projects taken under SRTPPF-I

• Joydevpur-Chandra-Tangail-Hatikamrul Road (110 km)-ADB: SASEC-I

• Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Road (54 km)

• Hatikamrul-Rangpur Road (157 km)-ADB: SASEC-II

• Dharkar-Akhaura-Sarial Road (50.5 km) (LoC-II)

• Comilla-Brahmanbaria Road (58 km) (LoC-III)

• Jhenaidah-Jashore (48.5 km)-WB

• Dhaka(Katchpur)-Sylhet (210 km)-ADB

• Sylhet-Tamabil Road (56 km)-AIIB

• Construction of 1.905 km Mongla Bridge (BD-CHINA Friendship Bridge)

Projects initiated under SRTPPF-I and II

• Bhanga-Bhatiapara-Kalna-Lohagara-Narail-Jessore- Benapole Road (135 km)-LoC III

• Bonpara–Ishwardi-Pakshey-Kushtia-Jhenaidah Road (105 km)-AIIB

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 • Sylhet–Charkhai-Sheola-Sutarkandi Road (46 km)-WB

• Chittagong Port Access Road (14 km)-ADB

• Hatikumrul-Bonpara (50.5 km)-AIIB

• Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar (136 km)- JICA

Widening and Maintenance Program

• 1332 Km Widening and improvement of Regional Highways to appropriate standards

has been made

2269 km of Widening and improvement of Zilla Highways to appropriate standard

has been done

• 6331 km of Major Road Maintenance Program has been conducted

• 1,401 bridges and 7,360 culverts have been constructed/reconstructed since 2009 to build
an uninterrupted highway network.

Other Projects for sustainable/resilient/transborder infrastructures

• Itna-Mithamin-Ashtagram road construction project

• Under the Cross Border Improvement project, 18 bridges and 6 culverts are constructed
for the development of the Bangladesh section of the Asian Highway

• Under the WBBIP project construction of 61 new bridges in place of 61 dilapidated

bridges are constructed which would help establishing a sustainable road network in
southwest Bangladesh.

• Outer circular route (as per RSTP) is being processed under Japanese G to G (PPP)

Passengers and Freight Services

• During the financial year 2022-23, BRTC buses and trucks transported 667.93 lakh
passengers and 9.85 lakh tonnes of goods.

Target-11.2:
Policy/Program Interventions/Others

• RSTP was approved (2015-2035). Now a project has been taken to review and update the
RSTP. Now it is being reviewed under the RSTP Midterm Review project.

• The number of bus routes and companies for launching improved bus services under the
Bus Route Rationalization Program has been initially determined.

• RTHD is implementing a project to formulate the Transport Master Plan of Chattogram

City, which would include Metros and BRTs.

Projects for the safe, affordable, accessible public transport system

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 • Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (MRT Line-6)
• MRT-1 (E/S)
• MRT Line-5: Northern Route
• MRT Line-5: Southern Route
• BRT Project (Uttara-Gazipur)
Activities for the convenient and affordable access to transport

• To make the comfortable journey to the government and semi-government employees

including the students of different Universities, BRTC deployed 358 staff buses to 47
institutions.

• BRTC has introduced the “Women Bus Service” for the working women of different
sectors to facilitate their safe journey. Now 06 numbers of buses are running in 06 routes
in Dhaka City.

• BRTC is providing free transport service to the designated and war-wound freedom
fighters. In addition, BRTC reserves 15 numbers of seats in each bus of city service for
women, children, physically challenged people and freedom fighters. “No smoking”
awareness sticker has been fixed inside each bus of BRTC.

Activities for the convenient and affordable access to transport

• Out of regular bus service, BRTC provides special (bus) service to the people in the
event of natural disaster (like COVID-19)/national emergency including Eid, Hajj,
Bishwa Ijtema, etc.

• International Bus Service in Dhaka-Kolkata-Dhaka, Dhaka-Agartala-Dhaka, Agartala-

Dhaka-Kolkata-Agartala, Dhaka-Sylhet-Shilong-Guwahati and Dhaka-Khulna-Kolkata
routes are functioning.

Activities for the safe, convenient and affordable access to transport

• “Vehicle Tracking System” is introduced in 501 buses and 01 trucks procured in 2019.
All buses and trucks of BRTC will be under the “Vehicle Tracking System” gradually.

• 1558 different new buses have been added to the fleet of BRTC to enhance the service as
well as to facilitate the journey of the passengers in the tenure of the present government
(2009-2021).

• New projects are being taken to procure electric buses under Indian LoC and construct
charging stations under Korean and UNDP finance.

• To facilitate the journey of the students, 48 buses were donated to different educational
institutions from the fleet of BRTC.

• A modern, up-to-date and environmentally friendly taxi-cab service has been introduced.
At present this activity is going on with 400 taxi cabs

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 • At present 15 seats are reserved for women, children, disabled and freedom fighters in all
city bus services of BRTC.

• At present 08 female buses are engaged in the transport of working women on 08 routes.

• 10% discount on training fee with priority given to women driving training.

• 88 women workers have been recruited in the financial year 2022-23. Among them, there
are 07 female drivers.

Activities for the safe, convenient and affordable access to transport

• DTCA has implemented the Clearing House Project (P-1) to digitize the integrated e-
ticketing system.

• DTCA has taken the Clearing House Project (P-2) to incorporate the Rapid Pass
Ticketing system in Metro and other transport systems under RTHD.

• RTHD communicated to the planning commission & BBS to conduct a new survey to
generate disaggregated data by sex, age and persons with disabilities.

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