Project progress 85%, likely to be finished in Dec

The Bangabandhu tunnel’s construction under the Karnaphuli River has recorded an 85 per cent progress and is expected to be completed on schedule in December.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) says it will open the tunnel to traffic as soon as the construction is finished while tolls are being fixed now.

“The tunnel’s construction is at the final stage,” said Project Director Harun ur Rashid.

He said some materials could not reach Bangladesh from China on time due to the Covid-19 lockdown in Shanghai.

“Those materials have started arriving now as the lockdown has been relaxed, and there will be no problem in finishing the work on time.”

With financial and technical assistance of China under the supervision of the BBA, the communications ministry is constructing the country’s first underwater tunnel near the Chattogram port.

The government has decided to appoint China Communications Construction Company, the project’s contractor, as the management and maintenance contractor as well.

The BBA’s proposal to hire China Communications Construction Company as the management and maintenance contractor had received approval at the high level of the government, BBA Chief Engineer Kazi Md Ferdous said.

“But how long the appointment will last has not been decided yet,” he said.

The BBA was working with relevant government agencies to finalise tolls for vehicular and other traffic, which would be finished soon, he added.

BBA sources said toll structures of Shah Amanat Bridge and Kalurghat Bridge over the Karnaphuli River were being reviewed to set Bangabandhu tunnel tolls.

They also said Bangabandhu tunnel tolls would be higher than those of the two bridges.

The 3.4km tunnel is being constructed at a cost of around Tk 10,000 crore.

Some 13.9 million vehicles are expected to run annually through the tunnel by 2030, 32.9 million by 2050, and 50.5 million by 2062.