Land chaos puts Keraniganj bus terminal project at risk

A major government plan to build an inter-district bus terminal in Keraniganj is at risk of derailment, as illegal structures and a parallel university project rapidly take over land officially designated for the facility, exposing years of institutional failure and raising fears of a costly misuse of public funds.

The proposed terminal at Tegoria is intended to handle bus services between Dhaka and Barishal, as well as parts of Khulna division, forming a key component of efforts to ease congestion in the capital. But a recent visit to the site shows a starkly different reality: fruit warehouses, multi-storey buildings, and earth-filling work are advancing unchecked across the land.

The crisis stems from a lack of coordination between the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), and Jagannath University (JnU) - all of whom now have competing stakes in the same 30-acre area at Baghair Mouja.

While DSCC has been conducting feasibility studies and preparing designs for the terminal, JnU has already begun developing around seven acres of the same land for a 10-storey residential hall.

At the same time, private actors have occupied large portions of the site with commercial structures, significantly increasing the potential cost of land acquisition.

RAJUK, however, insists the land was never meant for such uses.

Chief Town Planner Md Ashraful Islam said the area had long been earmarked for a bus terminal under the Detailed Area Plan (DAP), and that any other use was a clear violation of planning rules.

"We have shown the area as a designated place for a bus terminal in our detailed area plan, and the use of land for any commercial and other structure is not permitted," he said.

"Even if the government does not use the land for the planned purpose, the landowners have to wait for five years to review the plan. Still, we have two years in hand to review, and before that, the structures were developed."

He described the ongoing construction as illegal and pointed to enforcement failures within RAJUK itself, as well as delays by the city corporation.

"The structures which are built there were illegal as we did not approve any construction there," he said. "It is the responsibility of the development control department of RAJUK and the concerned zone office to take care of the land."

"Besides, the city corporation has failed as they could not produce a detailed design and a development proposal in the last five years to present to the government for development of the bus terminal."

Planning documents suggest the situation has deteriorated sharply over time. A 2021 feasibility study by the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) identified the Keraniganj site as suitable for a terminal, noting that it was then largely occupied by brickfields and would require minimal resettlement.

At the time, only a handful of labour shelters, local homes and three brick kilns existed on the land, along with a big pond created by excavation for brick-making materials.

But a more recent assessment commissioned by DSCC found that at least 130 structures, including 129 households and one madrasa, would now need to be relocated. Of these, 54 are landowners, while 75 are non-titleholders engaged in both residential and commercial activities.

Officials warn that the growing number of structures could significantly inflate project costs and complicate implementation.

On the ground, signs of speculative construction are evident.

Khairuzzaman Sikder, a tea seller at a nearby fruit market, said the area remained largely vacant until rumours of government acquisition began circulating several years ago.

"After people heard about possible government acquisition, many rushed to build structures on the vacant land," he said. "Some even started construction with rods, expecting compensation. But when the rumours faded, many were left disappointed."

Despite the visible encroachment, no signboards marking government acquisition or restrictions on land use were found during the visit, and no effective measures appear to have been taken to halt development.

DSCC officials acknowledge delays and confusion over land acquisition as a key factor behind the present situation.

Rajib Khadem, Superintending Engineer of the Traffic Engineering Circle at DSCC, said earlier inaction allowed private development to spiral.

"The previous administration moved slowly, which allowed landowners to develop their properties," he said. "This could have been prevented through the deputy commissioner's office, but there was confusion over land acquisition."

He added that the government is now keen to move forward with the terminal, but coordination with JnU will be essential.

"We will need to sit down with Jagannath University to coordinate our plans."

An official from DSCC, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned that time is running out.

"If the residential hall is completed and students are accommodated, it will be very difficult to implement the terminal project," he said. "Intervention is needed before construction advances further."

The official said DSCC has already sought no-objection certificates from relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and the Department of Environment.

JnU, however, maintains that it is acting within its rights.

University sources say the land was purchased years ago, with development work beginning in June 2025. Its Chief Engineer, Md Helal Uddin Patwary, said the university had not been formally informed of the terminal plan.

"We intend to construct a 10-storey residential hall for students as part of our long-standing plan," he said. "We have recently learned about the City Corporation's proposal, but no formal discussions have taken place."

Transport experts warn that failure to resolve the dispute could undermine broader efforts to bring discipline to Dhaka's chaotic bus system.

Dr SM Saleh Uddin, a member of the now inactive Bus Route Rationalisation Committee, said the terminal was a strategic necessity.

"The proposal for a terminal outside Dhaka originates from the Strategic Transport Plan," he said. "Such infrastructure is essential for bringing discipline to the city's bus services."

As competing claims intensify and construction continues unabated, the Keraniganj site has become a textbook case of planning breakdown - where delayed decisions, weak enforcement and institutional disconnect risk turning a critical transport project into yet another costly failure.