Kamalapur Multimodal Transport Hub

Kamalapur Multimodal Transport Hub is a proposed transport hub in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. It will be a large structure with three levels around to the station plaza of Dhaka railway station which is the central railway station of the country.

Background

In 2013, the government of Bangladesh formulated a policy aimed at coordinating multimodal transportation in the country. Two years later the Strategic Transport Plan was finalized which recommended the construction of 21 transport hubs in Dhaka Division. Kamalapur was one of the proposed transport hubs. In 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Kamalapur Multimodal Transport Hub construction project. Bangladesh signed an agreement with Japan on the basis of public–private partnership for the implementation of the project. The cost of construction of this proposed structure surrounding the Dhaka railway station was estimated at. Kajima was appointed for the construction of the hub who held several meetings with the government to implement the project. The proposed transport hub was planned to be 100 million square meters and modeled after Tokyo Central station in Japan. A conceptual design for the proposed transport hub was prepared in 2019. Later its construction cost further increased. The World Bank agreed to lend for the project. Construction of the transport hub required shifting of the inland container depot located next to the railway station at Kamalapur. Hence the government decided to shift it near Dhirasram railway station. The transport hub is targeted to be completed by 2030. Public-Private Partnership Authority appointed Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology as the transaction advisor for this project but after not getting satisfactory report, it decided to appoint a new transaction advisor. Subsequently, an Indian joint venture firm was appointed through call bidding as the new transaction advisor.