Bangladesh
Bangabandhu Tunnel Prime Minister Hasina crosses Bangabandhu tunnel
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 28 October 2023: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina crossed over after inaugurating the much awaited 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel' under the Karnaphuli river in Chittagong.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the tunnel by unveiling a plaque on the west bank of Karnaphuli river at Patenga on Saturday (October 28) at 11:40 am. The tunnel will be opened for vehicular traffic from tomorrow, October 29. Another step through this is Bangladesh. The dream of millions of residents of the country's commercial capital and port city has come true. Bangladesh, the explorer of the highway of development, has entered the age of tunnels. Those concerned believe that the first tunnel in South Asia built under the Karnaphuli river has elevated Bangladesh to a new height in the world.
Project Director Md. Harunur Rashid Chowdhury said that the tunnel will turn Chittagong city into 'two cities in one city' like Shanghai in China and it will boost the country's economy. It will open new doors of immense potential for industrialization and expansion of trade and will improve road connectivity throughout the region by expanding the perimeter of the city.
According to the project details, almost half of the project, built at a cost of Tk 10,374 crore, has been financed by China's Exim Bank. The length of the entire route of the tunnel is 9.39 kilometers (5.83 mi), the length of the tunnel is 3.32 kilometers (2.06 mi) and its diameter is 10.80 meters (35.4 ft). This will improve the Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox's Bazar highway network. It was built by the Chinese company China Communications Construction Company.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the construction of the Karnaphuli Tunnel on October 14, 2017. Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated the boring phase of the tunnel on February 24, 2019. The tunnel will reduce the road distance between Chittagong and Cox's Bazar and facilitate the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to access the port city and other parts of Chittagong division. It connects Chittagong Port and Anwara Upazila and is expected to facilitate communication between Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. This will also reduce the traffic congestion of the two bridges over the Karnaphuli river.
Earlier in a press conference in Dhaka, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that 17,260 vehicles will be able to use the tunnel every day, which is equal to about 7.6 million vehicles a year. The tunnel will help boost the country's annual GDP growth by 0.166 percent.
