Work on north tube of Bangabandhu tunnel will also end soon: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “Civil work on the south tube of the much-awaited ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel’ beneath the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram has been completed. Work on the north tube of the tunnel is also near the completion. I am not inaugurating the tunnel right now as some work is still remaining. I extend my thanks to those involved in the construction of the tunnel.”

She also hoped that the work on the north tube of the tunnel will also conclude very soon.

The premier expressed her hope while speaking at the concluding celebration ceremony of civil work on the south tube of the ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel’ beneath the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram after virtually joining the celebration programme from Ganabhaban on Saturday (November 26).

The Bangabandhu tunnel, first ever in South Asia, is being constructed beneath the Karnaphuli river at a cost of Tk 9 thousand 880 crore.  

It is learned that when the construction of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli river started on February 24, 2019, the project was scheduled to finish on December 16, 2022. The tunnel will be connected to the Dhaka-Chittagong Cox’s Bazar highway with a length of 3.43 km at the Anwara end, entering from the Naval Academy in the Patenga area of Chattogram city through a depth of 150 feet.

The construction of this tunnel project is being implemented by the Chinese company’s China Communication and Construction Company Limited (CCCC).  A 5.15 km approach road has already been constructed at both ends of the tunnel. Of these, the approach road at the Karnaphuli-Anwara end is four kilometers and has a flyover of 700 meters. Four lane 22.40 meter wide approach road and flyover has been completed.