The damage the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway faces due to the overloading of goods-carrying vehicles is estimated to be 861 crore taka annually.
The assessment, conducted by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), even deducted the costs associated with the savings on excess load transported and less consumption of fuel from the damage estimation.
The fallen Awami League (AL) government allowed transports with much higher loads than the highway's design capacity, officials say, amid businessmen’s demand.
They argued that allowing overload would help reduce the requirement for vehicles to transport the same quantity of goods, easing traffic congestion and saving fuel consumption, said the officials.
It also said that the government has been implementing an emergency rehabilitation project of 1,000 crore taka since 2023 to keep the 190-km-long Dhaka-Chattogram highway operational.
Analyzing the Sitakunda Axle Load Station data in FY 2023-24, the study finds that the damage to the 190-kilometre highway would be a gross amount of 1,231 crore taka.
It also found that an estimated 3,700 crore taka was saved due transportation of excess quantity of goods, considering 15 tonnes per 2-axle truck as per the allowable limit of the road's design capacity.
Currently, the Sitakunda Axle Load Station is the only Axle that is fully operational. The remaining three stations have been damaged by miscreants or have been made inoperative with the help of corrupt operators.
Experts noted that the study reveals only a fraction of the severe damage caused by the excessive transportation of goods along this highway, the lifeline of the nation's economy. Nearly 90 percent of the country's imports and exports rely on this critical route.
Dr. Md Mohasin Howlader, head of the research team and executive engineer at the RHD, stated that the actual damage would be significantly higher if factors like road accidents, vehicle wear and tear, loss from exceeding manufacturers' load limits, extended travel time, and increased carbon emissions from overloading were also considered.
He also noted that the study did not account for the additional costs of major repairs and regular maintenance of the highway.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting, he explained that overloading causes damage to double-axle vehicles at a rate 7.4 times higher than normal, while the damage for three-axle and four-axle vehicles is 2.27 times and 2.3 times higher, respectively.
Data from the Sitakunda Axle Load Station reveals that overloaded vehicles regularly exceed the permitted weight limits.
According to Dr. Md Mohasin Howlader, although the government raised the allowable load for four-axle vehicles from 33 to 40 tons in 2019, many trucks continue to carry 44 to 52 tons, often legitimized by paying fines.
Allegations have surfaced that the axle load policy was revised multiple times between 2016 and 2020 under pressure from influential figures within the ruling party. Names of former ministers and transport leaders, including Shajahan Khan and Moshiur Rahman Ranga, have been mentioned in this context.
In contrast, India maintains stricter limits: double-axle vehicles can carry up to 18.5 tons, and three-axle trucks are limited to 22 tons. In Bangladesh, however, these vehicles often transport 22 to 30 tons. The Road Transport and Highways Department permits double-axle vehicles to carry 22 tons, well above the recommended 15 tons, and has raised the limit for seven-axle (14-wheeled) vehicles to 40 tons.
Despite this, many seven-axle trucks have been carrying up to 50 tons since 2019 and continue to operate by simply paying a small fine. Generally, double-axle trucks with two wheels in front and two in the rear are designed to carry 5.5 to 10 tons, with load capacity increasing as more axles are added.
Translated by bd-Pratidin English/ AM
