B Mirror Report: The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is preparing to implement round-the-clock monitoring across the country’s highways following the successful launch of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) on the Dhaka–Mawa–Bhanga corridor, officials said.

The 55-kilometre Dhaka–Mawa expressway is now fully covered under ITS, allowing highway police to track overspeeding vehicles, improve traffic management, and enhance road safety. The system includes CCTV cameras, vehicle detection systems (VDS), variable message signs (VMS) and speed enforcement systems.

Since the Traffic Management Centre (TMC) began operations last September, authorities have reported a significant reduction in vehicles exceeding the 80 kmph speed limit on the expressway, dropping from 42 per cent to 25 per cent, according to RHD data.

“Strict monitoring has improved driver behaviour, strengthened enforcement and raised awareness among road users, helping reduce accident risks,” said Faijuna Warda of RHD.

The Dhaka–Mawa–Bhanga expressway, the country’s first expressway, opened in 2020, and traffic surged after the Padma Bridge inauguration in July 2022. Police records show over 1,300 accidents between 2022 and 2025 on the corridor, resulting in 183 fatalities, most caused by overspeeding.

Data from the TMC indicate that overspeeding vehicles fell sharply from 15,658 in September 2025 to 2,188 in January 2026, reflecting better compliance with speed regulations.

The ITS project, funded with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), aims to reduce road accidents, improve traffic discipline, and enhance highway efficiency by integrating modern technology with Bangladesh’s road infrastructure.

Ms Warda said the success of the pilot project on the Dhaka–Mawa expressway will guide RHD in expanding ITS to other national highways. Plans include developing a national ITS master plan, setting technical standards, strengthening human resource capacity, and creating a fully integrated intelligent road network across the country.