The first step in the creation of any town or city is the building of roads and avenues. And the areas with the best roads are also the most developed. In the last article of this two-part series, we covered some of the major roads in Dhaka, such as Mirpur Road and Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. In today’s article, we will be looking at some of the most important roads in Dhaka City, and the factors behind their importance.
Begum Rokeya Sarani
This road is one of the two major avenues in Mirpur, the other one being Mirpur Road. Both these roads serve as a gateway to the massive area that is Mirpur. But what differentiates Begum Rokeya Sarani from Mirpur Road is that Begum Rokeya Sarani goes through the central parts of Mirpur. This includes areas such as Agargaon, Taltola, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Monipur, Section 10, Section 6, Section 7, Section 11, Pallabi, Mirpur Cantonment, and Mirpur DOHS. A large section of the total population of Dhaka live in and around these neighborhoods and use Begum Rokeya Sarani for transportation. This makes it one of the longest and most important roads in Dhaka.
While traveling on the road, you will see some massive landmarks of Dhaka, including Chandrima Uddan, Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), IDB Bhaban, Bangladesh Air Force Museum, and the Mirpur 10 Roundabout. The road features numerous corporate offices, banks, hospitals, restaurants, showrooms, brand outlets, super shops, and RMG factories. Begum Rokeya Sarani is also one of the busiest roads in Dhaka, with numerous bus routes going through the road. MRT Line-6 of the Dhaka Metro Rail Project is also being built on Begum Rokeya Sarani, with multiple stops on the road. All in all, the road is a major transportation hub of Dhaka, catering to a large number of Dhaka’s citizens and cementing its status as one of the most important roads in Dhaka.
Hatirjheel Road
Traffic in Dhaka before the Hatirjheel Project was unbearable, with major backlogs in most of the major roads surrounding the areas of Gulshan and Banani. This made it necessary to create a shorter route between Central Dhaka, and the aforementioned areas. Hatirjheel, a rundown lake surrounded by slums, was the only thing connecting these far-flung places. The Hatirjheel project turned this dilapidated lake into one of Dhaka’s most beautiful places and connected some of Dhaka’s busiest neighborhoods. For many of Dhaka’s millions of residents, Hatirjheel has reduced commute times to and from office by multiple folds. This alone makes Hatirjheel one of the most important roads in Dhaka. But there’s a lot more on offer.
For one, Hatirjheel is considered to be one of the most beautiful roads in Dhaka, with lush greenery and beautifully landscaped shrubbery on the sides of the road. The banks of the lake are also adorned with plants and have park seats. The walkways are also in pristine condition and are used by many for jogging and working out. At nighttime, the multiple bridges in Hatirjheel light up in many different colors. Hatirjheel has its own mode of public transportation. There’s the Hatirjheel Circular Bus Service, that circles the road. Then you also have the scenic Hatirjheel Water Taxi Service, that has ports in Rampura, Gudaraghat, Police Plaza, and Kawran Bazar. Overall, the existence of Hatirjheel has made traveling through Central Dhaka a whole lot easier.
DIT Road – Pragati Sarani
The DIT Road – Pragati Sarani stretch is one of the longest stretches of roads in Dhaka. It spans almost 9 kilometers in length and features different and diverse neighborhoods on each side of the road. It starts on the Mouchak Intersection and stretches all the way to Bishwaroad Square, where it connects with 300 Feet Road that goes towards Purbachal. The road is one of the busiest in Dhaka city, with many people using it on their everyday commutes to areas such as Gulshan, Baridhara, Bashundhara, and Uttara, and also areas such as Paltan and Motijheel in the opposite direction. Areas surrounding the road include Shiddeshwari, Khilgaon, Rampura, Banasree, Badda, Gulshan, Baridhara, and Bashundhara.
On the road, you will come across numerous iconic landmarks, including the Bangladesh Television Headquarters, Hatirjheel, East West University, the Embassy of the United States of America, and Jamuna Future Park. Other than these landmarks, the road also features numerous services, including banks, restaurants, shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, corporate offices, showrooms, super shops, brand outlets, warehouses, and workshops. Pragati Sarani connects commercial areas such as Badda and Gulshan to areas such as Rampura, Banasree, Moghbazar, Shantinagar, etc. These areas are the residential heartlands of Eastern Dhaka. All in all, the sheer length of the road and the amount of people served by it makes DIT Road – Pragati Sarani one of the most important roads in Dhaka.
Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway
The Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway is the gateway into Dhaka for most trucks, cars, and buses coming in from the North and Northeastern parts of the country. It starts at Mohakhali Railgate and goes all the way to Mymensingh. But in this article, we will only be talking about the part of the road that falls inside Dhaka City, along with the New Airport Road. The road is one of the most important roads in Dhaka, as it not only serves as a transportation link to and from the city but also serves as a lifeline for Uttara, which is one of the largest and most important areas of Dhaka. The road also provides access to areas such as Mohakhali, Banani, Dhaka Cantonment, Kuril, and Nikunja. The most important landmark that falls on the road is the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, which is Dhaka’s only international airport.
There are also other landmarks on the road, such as the Army Stadium, Kurmitola Golf Club, Army Golf Club, and RAB Headquarters. The road serves major bus routes, with many Gazipur bound buses also using the road. This makes the road a vital link for RMG export, as Gazipur contains many RMG factories. Other than that, the road also features numerous banks, restaurants, shopping malls, corporate offices, brand outlets, showrooms, five-star hotels, and hospitals. The road used to be the source of city-wide gridlocks. This is why the Mirpur – Airport Road flyover was built, which reduced traffic congestion in the road. MRT Line-6 and MRT Line-2 of the Dhaka Metro Rail Project will include parts of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway. Overall, the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway’s proximity to the Airport and its role as a vital link to the city makes it one of the most important roads in Dhaka.
This concludes the second part of the article on the most important roads in Dhaka. If you think we missed out on any roads, do let us know of your suggestions in the comments section.
