Transport in Bangladesh is dominated by roadways, accounting for the majority of both passenger and cargo traffic due to substantial development efforts since independence. Eight major national highways connect the capital, Dhaka, with divisional and 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 highest road accident fatality rates. They also suffer from high 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 waterways, though also declining, remains popular thanks to Bangladesh's extensive river network and the use of ferries.
Air travel in Bangladesh is supported by three international and five domestic airports, of which Hazrat Shahjalal is the largest and busiest. Biman Bangladesh, the national airline, and the privately owned 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.
Road
With around of roads, Bangladesh ranks 16th in the world for total length of road network. It has the highest road density in South Asia after India and ranks 13th globally. However, only about 30 per cent, or , of these roads are paved. The network maintained by the Roads and Highways Departmentthe government agency responsible for the construction and upkeep of the country's major road and bridge networkincludes approximately of national highways, of regional highways, and of district (zila) roads.
As of , there were 410,532 private passenger cars, 121,387 microbuses, and 4.34 million motorcycles bringing the total number of vehicles, including those mentioned, to nearly 6 million. In addition, there were around 4 million unregistered electric auto rickshaws circulating in Bangladesh by 2025. These so-called "Bangla Teslas" dominate local transport and constitute "perhaps the world's biggest informal EV fleet."
Highways There are eight major national highways, linking the capital with various divisional and district headquarters, port cities, and international routes. The 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. The Dhaka–Mawa–Bhanga Expressway, opened in 2020, is the first controlled-access highway in the country.
Three Asian Highway routes pass through Bangladesh, with parts of the network undergoing upgrades to meet international standards. The routes are:
AH1: Tamabil to Benapole (), connecting to India at both ends. AH2: Tamabil to Banglabandha (), also connecting to India at both ends. AH41: Teknaf to Mongla (), 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. 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, and accounting for 88 per cent of passenger traffic in 2005. This marks a significant increase from the 9.2 billion passenger-kilometres recorded in 1975, which accounted for 54 per cent of passenger traffic. Additionally, approximately 535,000 vans, pickups, lorries, and tractors are actively used, transporting 80 per cent of cargo in 2005 and covering 137.2 billion tonne-kilometres in 2021, a sharp increase from 900 million tonne-kilometres, comprising 35 per cent of cargo traffic, in 1975.
Despite significant growth in the number of motor vehicles, Bangladesh's transportation demand continues to be predominantly met by non-motorised modes, especially walking and rickshaws. The level of motorisation in the country remains considerably lower compared to many other nations.
Issues
Safety Bangladesh has one of the highest road accident fatality rates globally, with estimates from non-governmental sources reaching as high as 25,000 deaths in 2019, although official government figures are much lower. The annual road crash deaths per capita in Bangladesh are twice the average rate for high-income countries and five times that of the best-performing countries worldwide. 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.
Road safety concerns have sparked significant movements, such as Nirapad Sarak Chai, and mass protests, primarily led by students. A notable instance was the major 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. 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. 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.
Congestion
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. 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. In Bangladesh, pollution severity is exacerbated by a large number of high-polluting vehicles, impure fuel, inefficient land use, and poor traffic management. Leaded gasoline was banned in 1999, 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.
Dhaka is the noisiest city in the world, with levels 1.3 to 2 times higher than acceptable limits. The Farmgate intersection in Dhaka experiences the highest noise pollution at 135.6 decibels, while the least polluted area, Uttara-14, registers 100.8 decibels, still far above the permissible level. Rajshahi ranked the fourth noisiest in the world, while noise levels are also above acceptable limits in other cities like Chittagong, Sylhet, Comilla, and Khulna. Despite a ban on the import of loud hydraulic horns in 2017, they remain in widespread illegal use.
Rail
The national rail infrastructure is primarily passenger-focused, managed by the state-owned Bangladesh Railway (BR), which was largely inherited from the British Assam Bengal Railway system after the partition of India in 1947. There are about 500 railway stations, with Dhaka Kamalapur being the largest and busiest. In 2023, Bangladesh Railway operated 402 trains daily, while an additional 37 trains were run by four main private companies , a practice permitted since the early 2000s. 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.Bangladesh Railway has approximately of main and branch lines (route km) linking 43 of the 64 districts. Of these, the majority, covering , are metre-gauge tracks, mainly in the central and eastern regions. About are 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 converted. Since independence in 1971, few new tracks were laid until the early 2020s, when four additional districts were connected.
In 2020, 64 million passengers travelled by rail in Bangladesh, accumulating nearly 10 billion passenger-kilometres. Despite the railway's emphasis on intercity services, which earned the majority of revenue, almost half of these passengers were on local routes. More than three million tonnes of cargo were transported, totalling over one billion tonne-kilometres, handled by two inland container depots (dry ports): one at Kamalapur, Dhaka, and the other at Pangaon, which is connected to Chittagong port. 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.
About 93 million passengers used railways in 2019, while the figure was 73 million in 1970. 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.
, the country has only 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.
Important links The Hardinge Bridge, opened in 1915, connected the south-western railways to the north-western regions divided by the Padma River. The Bhairab Railway Bridge (also Bangladesh–UK Friendship Bridge), opened in 1937, facilitates communication between Dhaka and Chittagong over the Meghna River. The combined Jamuna Bridge, opened in 1998, connects the eastern and western rail networks, which were previously separated by the Jamuna River. A dedicated rail bridge beside itthe longest in the countrywas opened in to meet growing traffic demands.
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. This challenge was addressed in with the inauguration of train services on the Dhaka–Jessore line.
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. A second rail service, the Bandhan Express, connecting Kolkata and Khulna, began in 2017. A third service, the Mitali Express, from Siliguri to Dhaka, started in June 2022.
Bangladesh is part of the 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.
Air