Bangladesh operates a dense, layered transport network shaped entirely by its 230 major rivers and 700 smaller waterways crisscrossing 147,570 square kilometers. The rivers split the country into regions where road infrastructure exists alongside boat routes that have carried people and goods for centuries. Dhaka anchors most transport planning, but movement between divisions requires understanding seasonal flooding that closes roads and rail lines between June and September each year. The transport ministry reports 22,000 kilometers of paved roads and 2,877 kilometers of railway track, but water transport carries 35 percent of inland cargo and moves millions of passengers monthly across launch ferries, speedboats, and traditional wooden vessels.
Dhaka operates approximately 800,000 cycle rickshaws despite a municipal ban on their entry to 32 main roads during 0800-2000 hours. The ban applies to roads including Mirpur Road, Elephant Road, and sections of Gulshan Avenue, but enforcement remains inconsistent and rickshaws dominate side streets and residential areas throughout the city. A typical rickshaw fare runs 30-50 taka for one kilometer in Dhaka, with prices negotiated before departure since meters do not exist. Chittagong maintains similar rickshaw density with fewer restrictions, while Sylhet and Khulna allow rickshaws on most roads except designated highways.
CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, locally called CNGs or baby taxis, appeared in Dhaka after 2003 when the government mandated conversion from two-stroke engines. These three-wheeled vehicles carry two passengers in back and run on compressed natural gas with meters calculating fares at 30 taka initial charge plus 12 taka per kilometer as of 2023 rates set by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority. Drivers frequently refuse meter use and demand flat rates, particularly during rain or traffic congestion. Chittagong CNGs charge similar rates but lack consistent meter compliance. Rajshahi and Khulna operate CNGs alongside battery-powered auto-rickshaws called easybikes that charge 20-40 taka for journeys under three kilometers.
Dhaka introduced ride-hailing services Uber and Pathao in 2016-2017, with Pathao expanding to motorcycle rides that weave through traffic faster than cars. Pathao reports 500,000 registered drivers across Bangladesh as of 2023, operating primarily in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet. Motorcycle rides cost approximately 40 percent less than CNG fares for equivalent distances, with app-calculated pricing eliminating negotiation. Obhai and Shohoz compete in the same markets with similar pricing structures.
Bangladesh operates an entirely privatized bus system with no government-run city bus service in any municipality. Dhaka's bus network comprises approximately 5,000 buses operated by 100 private companies on loosely defined routes, with buses stopping anywhere passengers signal rather than at designated stops. The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation sold its last public buses in 1983. No route maps exist in English, and destination boards appear only in Bengali script on front and side panels.
Green Line Paribahan and Shyamoli Paribahan operate the most extensive inter-city networks, with air-conditioned coaches connecting Dhaka to Chittagong on 242 kilometers of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway for 500-800 taka depending on seat class. This journey takes five to seven hours due to congestion through Comilla and Feni. Ena Transport and Hanif Enterprise run similar routes to Sylhet covering 245 kilometers in six to eight hours for 400-700 taka. Non-air-conditioned buses cost 30-40 percent less but stop frequently for passenger boarding.
Buses to Khulna from Dhaka travel 333 kilometers via the Padma Bridge, which opened June 2022 and reduced journey time from eight hours to five hours by eliminating the ferry crossing at Mawa-Kawrakandi. Shohag Paribahan and Sohel Paribahan operate this route for 600-900 taka in air-conditioned coaches. Routes to Rangpur and Dinajpur in the northern divisions take seven to nine hours covering 350-400 kilometers through Tangail and Bogra, with fares ranging 500-800 taka on operators including SR Travels and Nabil Paribahan.
Local buses within divisions use smaller vehicles called "local service" with open doors, wooden bench seats, and no air conditioning. These buses charge 2-3 taka per kilometer and stop every few hundred meters. The Road Transport and Highways Division reports 350,000 registered buses nationwide, though many operate without proper licensing.
Bangladesh Railway operates 2,877 route kilometers on meter gauge and broad gauge tracks radiating from Dhaka's Kamalapur Railway Station, which opened in 1968 and serves as the primary terminus. The network divides into Eastern Zone headquartered in Chittagong and Western Zone based in Rajshahi, connected since 2022 by the Padma Bridge Rail Link that carries trains across the Padma River for the first time.
Dhaka to Chittagong trains run on broad gauge tracks covering 266 kilometers in five to seven hours depending on service class. Suborno Express and Turna Nishitha provide air-conditioned chair and berth service departing Kamalapur at 1500 and 2300 daily, with fares from 480 taka in second class chair to 1,200 taka in AC berth. Mahanagar Provati and Mahanagar Godhuli operate as intercity services without sleeper cars for 370-680 taka. Mail trains including Chittagong Mail take eight to nine hours with multiple stops at Comilla, Laksham, and Feni for 150-300 taka in non-air-conditioned classes.
The Dhaka-Sylhet route covers 288 kilometers on meter gauge track in seven to nine hours via Narsingdi and Bhairab Bazar. Parabat Express and Kalni Express provide daily air-conditioned service for 450-800 taka, while Joyantika Express and Upaban Express operate as slower mail trains for 180-350 taka. Trains to Rajshahi travel 257 kilometers in six to seven hours through Tangail and Ishurdi, with Silk City Express and Padma Express charging 400-750 taka in air-conditioned classes.
Northern routes to Rangpur and Dinajpur operate on meter gauge from Dhaka via Jamalpur and Lalmonirhat. Rangpur Express covers 380 kilometers in nine hours for 500-900 taka, while Ekota Express serves Dinajpur in ten hours. The Khulna route now crosses the Padma Bridge rail link, reducing the 327-kilometer journey from eleven hours to seven hours, with Sundarban Express and Chitra Express charging 450-850 taka.
Bangladesh Railway introduced online booking through its website and mobile app in 2019, though the system frequently crashes during holiday periods including Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha when demand exceeds capacity by multiples. Station booking requires queuing at counters that open 0800-2000 daily. No first-class compartments exist on any routes, with AC berth representing the highest service category.
Launch ferries remain the primary overnight transport between Dhaka and southern divisions where the Meghna River and connecting channels create natural boat routes. These steel vessels measuring 40-60 meters long operate from Sadarghat Launch Terminal in Dhaka, a chaotic dock complex where 20-30 launches depart nightly between 1700 and 2200 for Barisal, Khulna, Patuakhali, and islands in the Bay of Bengal.
MV Sundarban and MV Parabat operate the Dhaka-Barisal route covering 150 river kilometers in eight to nine hours for 500-1,500 taka depending on cabin class. Single cabins with attached bathrooms and air conditioning cost 1,200-1,500 taka, while deck space on open upper levels runs 200-300 taka with no facilities beyond shared toilets. Launches depart Sadarghat at 1800-1900 and arrive Barisal's Sadarghat terminal at 0300-0400. Karnaphuli and MV Green Line provide similar service standards at comparable fares.