Bangladesh has taken a significant step towards enhancing regional connectivity by issuing a tender for the upgrade of a crucial two-way road linking the Sheola Land Port in its eastern region to India’s northeastern states. The proposed project aims to transform the 43-km stretch between Sylhet and Sheola into a four-lane dual carriageway, a move expected to bolster trade relations and facilitate the export of ready-made garments (RMG), which is Bangladesh’s primary export.
Project Director Khan Md Kamrul Ahsan announced on Thursday that the roadway improvements will include extensive renovations, such as upgraded pavements and additional service roads. The aim is to complete the dual carriageway by mid-2028, assuming physical work commences by mid-next year after the tender process is finalized.
The total estimated cost for this significant infrastructure upgrade is Taka 4,257 crore, with the World Bank contributing Taka 2,886.82 crore and the Bangladeshi Government financing Taka 1,370.25 crore. The expansion is anticipated to enhance cross-border trade, particularly in RMG, creating new opportunities to export these garments to India’s seven northeastern states.
The Sylhet-Sheola highway serves as a vital section of the Bangladesh-China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) corridor, which connects about 440 million people in the region through a network of road, rail, and air transport. This road improvement initiative falls under the World Bank-financed Accelerating Transport and Trade Connectivity in Eastern South Asia Project (ACCESS), aimed at increasing the efficiency and resilience of trade in eastern South Asia.
In conjunction with the Sylhet-Sheola project, Bangladesh is simultaneously upgrading the Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil highway into a dual-lane road, enhancing connectivity with India’s Meghalaya, which further emphasises the nation’s commitment to facilitating trade.
The Sheola-Sutarkandi land trade route, one of 16 operational land ports in Bangladesh, has witnessed substantial growth in trade volume, particularly in the export of RMG. The Sheola Land Port facilitated over 9.56 lakh tonnes of imports and over 7,200 tonnes of exports in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Its counterpart, Sutarkandi Land Port, recorded trade worth Taka 353 crore in the same period, a significant increase from Taka 162 crore in 2017-18.
The expansion of the Sylhet-Sheola highway will not only improve trade logistics but is also expected to enhance safety on the roads, helping to reduce the number of traffic accidents due to the current poor conditions of the existing two-lane road. As Bangladesh continues to strengthen its cross-border connections, the RMG sector stands to benefit significantly from this infrastructural development.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
