N7 (Bangladesh) Explained

Country:BGD
Type:N
Route:7
Alternate Name:Dhaka–Khulna Highway
Jashore - Khulna Road
Khulna–Mongla Road
Length Km:252
Direction A:Daulatdia
Terminus A:Daulatdia Ferry Terminal
Direction B:Mongla
Terminus B:Port of Mongla
Previous Type:N
Previous Route:6
Previous Dab:N6 (Bangladesh)
Next Type:N
Next Route:8
Next Dab:N8 (Bangladesh)

The N7 is a Bangladeshi national highway connecting the Daulatdia Ferry Terminal, on the south bank of the Padma River near the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, with the Port of Mongla in Bagerhat District. It serves some of the largest cities and towns in southwestern Bangladesh, including Faridpur, Magura, Jhenaidah, Jessore, and Khulna.[1] The highway is known along various stretches as the Dhaka–Khulna Highway, the Jessore-Khulna Highway, and the Khulna-Mongla Highway.

Southwestern Bangladesh is laced with numerous rivers and streams, which results in N7 having the most bridges and culverts of any highway in the national system.[2] It is limited to two lanes of traffic for most of its length.

Route description

The northern terminus of N7 is the Daulatdia Ferry Terminal, on the south bank of the Padma River. Although sometimes called the Dhaka—Khulna Highway, the city of Dhaka lies across the river and east of the end of the road. Long delays waiting to cross the river fuel the prostitution that makes Daulatdia the largest brothel in Bangladesh, and one of the largest in the world.[3] [4] [5]

Beginning at the ferry terminal, N7 goes southwest for 14 km before it turns southeast and parallels the river as far as the junction with N803 just west of Faridpur. Skirting the city, the highway turns west to Magura where N702 splits off. N7 continues west from Magura to Jhenaidah, a stretch that is the second deadliest in the national highway network.[1] It makes a three-quarters loop around the north and west sides of Jhenaidah, with N704 splitting off at Arappur and N703 going into the centre of the city, before N7 turns south to Jessore. The segment between Jhenaidah and Jessore is the busiest one on the highway. At Palbari, just north of Jessore, N708 branches off. In Jessore N7 is rejoined by N702, and N706 splits off. Just south of Jessore, N707 merges at Murali.

N7 continues southeast, passing through Khulna, the largest city on the highway and the administrative headquarters of Khulna Division. N709 is a bypass that takes off from Phultala, north of Khulna, and rejoins south of the city at Kudir Battala, crossing the Rupsha River by bridge instead of, as the main road continues through the city including neighborhood like Daulatpur, Boikali, New Market. In KCC area most of part of this road is called Jashore Road. At Ferry Ghat more N7 change its alignment to Khan Jahan Ali road and continues to Rupsha ghat and crossing Rupsha river by ferry. The southern terminus of N7 is Bangladesh's second busiest seaport, the Port of Mongla, at the junction of the Mongla and Pasur Rivers.

Junction list

scope=colDivisionscope=colLocationscope=colkmscope=colMilescope=colDestinationsscope=colNotes
Dhaka DivisionDaulatdiaFerry connects to at Paturia Port
Goalanda
Ahladipurto Rajbari
Faridpur
Khulna Divisionto Jashore
Jhenaidah, &N712 to Arappur, N703 to Jhenaidah town and N704 to Dasuria
Hamdahto Arappur
Kaliganjto Kotchandpur
Palbari, Jashoreto Jashore town
Chanchra, Jashoreto Benapole
Murali, Jashoreto Jashore town
PhultalaKhulna City Bypass
Power House Moreto Satkhira
Ferry Ghat Moreto Old town
Rupsha Ghat
Ferry
Rupsha East
Kudir Battala
Katakhalito Bhanga
Port of MonglaThe route end at the port.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Road Master Plan . Bangladesh Roads and Highways Department . 12 December 2012.
  2. Book: Sharkia . S. . Haque . M. N. . Bhuiya . M. S. K. . 21 August 2015 . Structural condition assessment of bridges and culverts in national highway N7 . http://www.iabse-bd.org/session/70.pdf . IABSE-JSCE Joint Conference on Advances in Bridge Engineering-III . International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering . 427–430 . 978-984-33-9313-5.
  3. News: Hammond . Claudia . 9 January 2008 . 'I'm just here for survival' . . 11 February 2016.
  4. News: Jackman . Christine . 26 October 2013 . Daughters of the brothel . . 11 February 2016.
  5. Rashid, Tania . 4 February 2014 . Sex, Slavery, and Drugs in Bangladesh . Television production . 0:47 minutes in . . "This is Daulatdia, the largest brothel in Bangladesh ... Daulatdia sits between a major railway station and a ferry terminal. Its location ensures a booming trade." . 11 February 2016.