PM,Chinese president to inaugurate work in Nov

The Bangladeshi prime minister and Chinese president will jointly lay the foundation stone of Karnaphuli Tunnel at the end of this November, informed Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday.

The construction of the multi-lane road tunnel under the river Karnaphuli will begin in December, he said.

The minister also informed that the construction would be completed in 2020 and, later, the tunnel will be linked with the Asian Highway.

The minister was talking to reporters following a coordination meeting held at a conference room of Isha Khan Base of Bangladesh Navy in Chittagong city.

Bridges Division Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam chaired the meeting where officials concerned were present.

The estimated cost of the project is about Tk 8,500 crore of which China will provide around Tk 5,500 crore and the rest will come from the Bangladesh government, the minister said.