Transportation system in Bangladesh

The transportation sector of Bangladesh has a variety of modes. Bangladesh being a flat plain, all three modes of transport, i.e. road, railway and water are widely used in carrying both passengers and goods. More than half of entire Bangladesh has access to hard surface road within 3 miles distance. There has been a dramatic expansion of road network in recent years. In the year 1947 there were only 461.8 kilometers of metalloid roads. In 1997 the total length of road under the Roads and Highways Department stood more than 20,000 kilometers. In recent years construction of a number of bridges such as Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge, Meghna Bridge, Meghna-Gumti Bridge, Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, Shambhuganj Bridge and Mahananda Bridge have been completed. The 4.8 km long Bangabandhu Bridge is the eleventh longest bridge in the world. The bridge has established a strategic link between the East and the West region of Bangladesh. Apart from rapid movement of goods and passengers, it is faci1itating transmission of electricity and natural gas. About 32% of the total area of Bangladesh is covered by railways. State-owned Bangladesh Railway operates a track of 2706 kilometer rail line employing about 60,000 people. The railway of Bangladesh provides satisfactory passenger and cargo services through about 502 stations. There are a number of express and luxurious trains operating from Dhaka to Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi, and many other towns. About two-thirds of Bangladesh is wetland. The country has lots of rivers, canals, haors. Water transport is available in nearly 10% of' the total area. The navigable waterways vary between 8372 kilometer to 5200 kilometer regarding rainy season and dry season. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority is established by the government for maintenance of navigability of ports and channels. The state-owned BIWTC provides passenger and cargo services in inland waterways and in coastal areas of the country. There are now 11 airports in Bangladesh. These are in Dhaka, Barisal. Chittagong. Comilla, Rajshahi, Syedpur, Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar, Ishurdi, Jessore and Thakurgaon. Of them the airports at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet serve for international routes. Air cargo and Short Take-off and Landing services have been opened to the private sector. The national flag carrier is Bangladesh Biman Airlines. Biman flies to 26 international and 8 domestic destinations. Air:  Bangladesh can be reached from every part of the world by air. The main airport of Bangladesh is Hazrath Shahjalal International Airport (DAC). Biman Bangladesh airlines connects Dhaka with 27 major cities around the world like:. Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Athens, Bangkok, Bombay, Kolkata, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kualalumpur, London, Muscat, Dhahran, Baghdad, Kuwait, Yangoon, Rome, Tripoli, Tokyo, Singapore, Baharin, Frankfurt, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Sarjah, Seoul, New York, Riyadh and Delhi. Besides Biman, there are several international carriers also fly to and from Dhaka. Biman, Bangladesh Airlines also connects Dhaka with Chittagong, Jessore, Cox's Bazar, Rajshahi, Saidpur and Sylhet in its 7 domestic routes. Biman, Bangladesh Airlines,   Ph: 9560151-9 (Enquiry & Reservations). Foreign Airlines: Trans World Airlines Inc.:                Ph:880-2-9552491, 9552208 Air France:                                      Ph: 880-2-9568277, 9563050, 9551338, Japan Airlines:                                 Ph: 880-2-9129322, 9129710 Indian Airlines:                                 Ph: 880-2-9555915, 9557813, 8912205(Airport) Kuwait Airways:                              Ph: 880-2-9110238, 9118829(City) 8914215(Airport) British Airways:                               Ph: 880-2-9564869-72, 8914410, 8912467(Airport) Lufthansa:                                        Ph: 880-2-8618995, 8611191 Myanmar Airlines International:        Ph: 880-2-8810579-80 United Airlines:                                Ph: 880-2-9556538-9, 9556505, 9567379 Cathay Pacific:                                Ph: 880-2-9559390, 9559721, 9557117 Pan Air:                                          Ph: 880-2-9554369 Gulf Air:                                          Ph: 880-2-8113237-40 PIA:                                                Ph: 880-2-8312985, 8823023 Singapore Airlines:                          Ph: 880-2-8828769, 8828774, 8811504-8 Emirates:                                         Ph: 880-2-9563825-29, 9563830 Swiss Air:                                       Ph: 880-2-8821908, 8822376 Korean Air:                                    Ph: 880-2-9563817-9 Saudia:                                           Ph: 880-2-8116859-60, 8914341(Airport) Malayasian Airlines:                        Ph:880-2-9885479, 9885480 Thai International:                            Ph: 880-2-8314711-9, 8914351(Airport) Qatar Airways,                               Ph: 880-2-9563050, 9564945 Royal Nepal Airlines:                       Ph:880-2-9550423, 9559353 Qantas:                                           Ph: 880-2-9886634-7 KLM:                                             Ph: 880-2-8113005, 9116519 Philippines Airlines:                         Ph:880-2-411488 Air Italia:                                        Ph: 880-2-9551673 Continental Airlines:                        Ph:880-2-9565386-1 Car Rental -  Taxi cab service is available in Dhaka city and some other major cities. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), the government organization, has a fleet of air-conditioned and non air-conditioned cars, microbuses and jeeps. They also offer transfer services for tourists between airport and city centers or hotels.