Bangladesh
Bangabandhu Tunnel Bangabandhu Tunnel inauguration before October
Dhaka, February 10: Bangabandhu pulls no more dreams, but reality. The long-standing dream of making Chittagong a 'One City Two Town' model is on the brink of reality. It is said that Bangabandhu Tunnel, a long-cherished dream of the people of this region, will be ready for inauguration before the scheduled time next October. Meanwhile, the construction work of the dream Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli river is almost 96 percent completed.
Md. Harunur Rashid, project director of the tunnel, said, "96 percent of the construction of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli river has been completed. The mechanical installation work is still going on. In the meantime, the construction of the approach road has also been completed." He said that the construction work of toll plaza related to cross passage and tunnel is also nearing completion.
"Mechanical, electrical and civil works of the tunnel are going on and other ancillary works are also in the last stage" - Rashid expressed hope that the construction work of the tunnel will be completed within the stipulated time.
According to the project details, the length of the tunnel under construction will be 3.40 km. Besides, there is a 5.35 km approach road as well as a 727 m over bridge, which will connect the main city, the port and the western side of the river with its eastern side.
Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction of the first tunnel tube on February 24, 2019. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly laid the foundation stone of the Bangabandhu Tunnel on 14 October 2016.
China Communications Construction Company Limited is acting as the contractor for the project.
The tunnel will connect the proposed Asian Highway with the Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox's Bazar highway and reduce the distance from Chittagong to Cox's Bazar by 40 km. According to the project details, vehicles will run at a speed of 80 km per hour through this tunnel.
Bangabandhu Tunnel is being constructed at a cost of 10 thousand 374 crores. The tunnel project is being implemented with the joint funding of Bangladesh and China governments. China's Exim Bank is providing a loan of Tk 5,913 crore and the rest is being provided by the Bangladesh government. Exim Bank of China has given this loan at two percent interest rate.
This is the first such tunnel under the river in South Asia. Massive efforts are on to complete the remaining 4 percent of the project. In addition to the workers, domestic and foreign engineers are involved in the project.
