Large-scale transport infrastructure projects in Bangladesh are increasingly navigating complex social and cultural landscapes, as the relocation of graveyards, shrines, and other communal spaces becomes a central challenge in project implementation.
Key Issues
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- Early and Inclusive Community Engagement is Crucial
- Cultural and Spiritual Sensitivities Must Shape Relocation Plans
- Flexibility in Project Design Improves Outcomes
- Decentralised Facilitation Strengthens Trust and Communication
- Relocation is a Process, Not a One-Time Event
According to a recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) case study on inclusive infrastructure practices, the Akhaura–Laksam Double Line Railway Project and the Dhaka–Northwest Corridor Road Project demonstrate how culturally sensitive relocation planning can ease resistance, strengthen community trust, and keep construction timelines on track.
For many communities, spaces such as graveyards, temples, and shrines are more than physical sites — they embody ancestral memory, collective identity, and deep spiritual meaning.
Their disturbance often stirs fears of misfortune and emotional harm, with responses shaped by dreams, beliefs, and a profound sense of loss that cannot be measured in monetary terms. These sensitivities, compounded by legal and procedural steps required for relocations, demand careful handling.
The Akhaura–Laksam Double Track Project, covering 72 kilometres of railway upgrades, required relocating 56 communal property resources, including religious sites, graves, and a cleaners’ community. The risk of further marginalisation and fears of spiritual disruption posed significant obstacles.
Authorities adopted a structured engagement process involving 252 stakeholder consultations and 402 focus group discussions between January 2020 and December 2024. Early involvement of local authorities, religious leaders, and law enforcement helped shape dialogues, while culturally appropriate rituals and spiritual considerations were integrated into relocation plans. As a result, disputes were fewer than expected, and the relocation proceeded more smoothly.
The Dhaka–Northwest Corridor Road Project faced similar sensitivities when relocating a 70-year-old graveyard. Scarcity of suitable land and deep-rooted cultural beliefs complicated the process. However, extensive consultations with religious leaders, graveyard committees, and families led to key design changes. New burial grounds were established on both sides of the highway to preserve access, soil from the original site was transferred to honour ancestral ties, and new boundaries and gates were built to restore the site’s dignity.
This sustained engagement, going beyond one-off information sessions, reassured families about the continuity of burial traditions and reduced opposition. The project demonstrated that relocation is not a one-time act but an evolving process shaped by cultural meaning and negotiation.
Officials and experts say the experience offers broader lessons for future development initiatives. “We learned that relocation cannot be treated as a purely technical or compensation issue,” said a high official at the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges. “It must safeguard dignity, cohesion, and community agency — and that requires early, inclusive, and culturally informed planning. The ADB case study on these projects underscores how such approaches build trust and ultimately deliver more sustainable outcomes.”
Social and cultural assessments conducted at early stages helped project teams anticipate sensitivities and avoid costly delays. Local actors with community trust played a crucial role in bridging formal procedures with public expectations, while ongoing, inclusive information-sharing built confidence and improved decision-making.
Flexibility in project design also proved vital. Adjustments that preserved proximity to places of worship, livelihoods, and burial sites significantly increased acceptance.
By moving beyond standard compensation frameworks and recognising the intangible cultural and spiritual dimensions of communal spaces, Bangladesh’s transport projects are demonstrating how infrastructure growth can align with community values. These approaches are paving the way for more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development — showing that progress is most enduring when it respects the past.
Farrukh Khosru
