Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway: No mention of its official name yet

Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway was named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on February 19, 2019, by road transport and bridges ministry.

A gazette was issued by the ministry's road transport and highways division on March 19 of the same year, naming it "Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Mohasarak", a year before opening the country's first-ever expressway.

However, the authorities, including the expressway's custodian Roads and Highways Department (RHD), have not been using the name in official documents of the expressway.

The expressway is more often mentioned as Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway in government documents.

The issue was raised at a monthly coordination meeting of the ministry on May 18.

The meeting was presided by Nazrul Islam, secretary of the division, who directed RHD chief engineer to use the gazetted name instead of Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway everywhere and in all documents.

An official of the division told the meeting that the expressway was named after Bangabandhu following approval of the prime minister. A gazette was issued afterwards.

"But Roads and Highways Department and other agencies are not using the name," reads the meeting minutes.

Contacted, RHD Chief Engineer AKM Manir Hossain Pathan refused to make any comment on the issue.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Tk 11,003 crore expressway on March 2020, making it the most expensive road (considering per kilometre expenditure) in the country.