DHAKA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first 18-kilometer section of the Dhaka Bypass Expressway, constructed by a Chinese company, officially opened for operation here Sunday.

This expressway, invested, constructed, and operated by Sichuan Road and Bridge (Group) Co., Ltd. (SRBG), the first fully enclosed expressway in Bangladesh, has a total length of about 48 kilometers with an overall investment of 412 million U.S. dollars.

Located in the eastern part of Dhaka Division, the project links the industrial zones in northern and northeastern Bangladesh and connects multiple national highways, serving as a vital transport artery between Dhaka and Chattogram, the country's second-largest city.

As a megacity with a population of over 20 million, Dhaka has long struggled with severe traffic congestion, which has significantly constrained the improvement of people's livelihoods. Once the entire Dhaka Bypass Expressway is operational, the current four-hour travel time will be reduced by at least half.

At the opening ceremony, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, highly praised such a project for its importance to densely populated cities such as Dhaka, emphasizing that "major cities need bypasses like this to ease traffic congestion."

During its construction, the project adopted Chinese technology and standards, contributing valuable solutions to local sustainable development and road infrastructure building, said Xiao Zhiming, CEO of the Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company.

The technical and managerial talents trained through the project will also provide lasting momentum for the development of Bangladesh's transport infrastructure, Xiao added.■