Photo : Collected
Bangladesh opened a new horizon in hassle-free road communication on Saturday (28 October) when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country's first-ever underwater tunnel amid festivities.
The 3.32km tunnel named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman runs under the Karnaphuli River making another dream project into a reality.
The tunnel, also the first of its kind in South Asia, promises to fast-track the country's road connectivity, spur the economy and promote tourism. It has two tubes and four lanes.
The people of the port city and the southern region greeted the opening of the tunnel with cheers and hope it will add a new dimension in the economy like China's Shanghai.
PM Sheikh Hasina unveiled the plaque of the tunnel on the north bank of the Karnaphuli at Patenga at 11.40am. She paid toll for her motorcade at the south bank of the river at Anwara.
Once the tunnel, built at a cost Tk 10.374crore, opens to traffic travelers will be able to cross the tunnel in five minutes.
The tunnel will boost the connectivity with the district town to the Southern part of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, project officials said.
The total length of the tunnel is 3.32 km with a 5.35 km approach road and a 740-metre bridge.
Messenger/Sun Yath
