Dhaka: The Bangladesh government today invited bids to build a new $2 billion elevated highway to ease chronic traffic congestion in the fast-growing capital Dhaka.

The Communications Ministry wants to build a 32.5-kilometre elevated expressway in Dhaka connecting the northern part of the city to business districts in the central, south and southeast.

“Dhaka Elevated Expressway will improve road connectivity,” the proposal said, adding that current roads took up only eight per cent of Dhaka’’s land compared to the “ideal” of 25 per cent.