Economy
PM Hasina officially proclaims completion of Karnaphuli Tunnel’s south side
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on November 26 today have joined an event marking an end to the general work of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel’s south tube, which goes beneath the river Karnaphuli in Chattogram. She also officially proclaims the completion of the tunnel’s south side.
Sheikh Hasina joined the event, organized by the Bridges Division, virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
Construction work of the Karnaphuli Tunnel’s southern end has been completed entirely, while 99 percent work of the tunnel’s northern end has been finished.
This is the first under-river tunnel in South Asia, which is expected to contribute 0.166 percent in the national economy growth with boosting employment, tourism, and industrialisation. Karnaphuli Tunnel is expected to improve the traffic situation in Chattogram.
According to project sources, two 5.35km approach roads are being constructed on the eastern and western sides of the tunnel. The length of the tunnel is 3.32km, and it is being constructed at a depth of 18 to 31 metres under the Karnaphuli river.
According to officials, as of now, the overall progress of the project is 94 percent. It’ll take two more months to complete the rest of the work.
Karnaphuli Tunnel is being built at a cost of Tk 10,374 crore. The tunnel project is being implemented with joint funding of the governments of Bangladesh and China (G2G). The Exim Bank of China is giving a loan of Tk 5,913 crore while the Bangladesh government is funding the rest.
The Karnaphuli river divides Chattogram into two parts. The tunnel being built – following the “One City, Two Towns” model like Shanghai in China – will connect the port city on the north with Anwara upazila on the south.
At present, the construction of a toll plaza at the tunnel’s Anwara end is going on in full swing.
Project officials are hoping that the Karnaphuli Tunnel will bring about revolutionary changes to the road communication landscape between Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar. Chattogram’s Anwara has already started to witness a change in its fortune through setting up of new industries on both sides of the tunnel’s approach road in the upazila.
At least 10 large industrial groups and 150 businesspeople have bought land in advance to establish factories in various sectors – power, petroleum, apparel, shipbuilding, fish processing, steel, cement and oil refinery – on the south bank of the Karnaphuli, according to official data.
The tunnel will reduce the distance between Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram by 40km.
At least 20 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 injured in a horrific bus crash southwest of Saudi Arabia, according to Gulf News reports.
The passenger bus crashed into a bridge on Monday, overturned, and caught fire, killing 20 and injuring 29.
According to Saudi media, the accident occurred around 4pm on the 14 km-long Aqabat Shaar road in the Asir province, as the bus was traveling from Khamis Mushayt to Abha.
The road, according to Saudi Press Agency, cuts through mountains, and has 11 tunnels and 32 bridges. When the bus was making its way down a bridge it underwent a brake failure, which caused it to crash into a barrier at the end of the bridge, overturn and catch fire. About 29 other people were also injured in the accident, according to reports.
The Saudi civil defense and Red Crescent Authority teams rushed to the site of the accident and cordoned off the area.
The deceased and the injured have reportedly been transferred to nearby hospitals.
Greeting Bangladesh, the United Nations on Sunday (26th March) said Bangladesh has many accomplishments — extraordinary economic development, a significant cultural legacy, leadership on a global stage for climate-vulnerable countries, and immense generosity in welcoming and hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees.
“The hospitality of Bangladesh’s diverse people is just one of the many facets of a country that my colleagues and I have been fortunate to experience every day,” UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis said in a press statement on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day.
“On behalf of the United Nations, I warmly congratulate the people of Bangladesh on the 52nd anniversary of independence,” she said.
Over the last 52 years, Bangladesh has made impressive and remarkable achievements: evolving from a war-torn country to one of the leading economic powers in South Asia, standing at the threshold of upcoming graduation from least developed countries (LDCs) in 2026, and planned achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030, she said.
The UN fully supports Bangladesh’s commitments to economic and sustainable development and appreciates the strong and long-lasting relationship with Bangladesh and our shared values.
The constitution of the country, which was adopted even before Bangladesh had formally become a member of the United Nations in 1974, guarantees fundamental human rights. The right to freedom of speech, religion, movement and assembly, the right to speak one’s own language and other rights that are in line with the UN charter, said the UNRC.
“Wishing you all a Happy Independence Day!” — she concluded.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina & President M Abdul Hamid paid rich tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka early on Sunday (26th March), marking the 53rd Independence and National Day.
The president first placed the wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the prime minister.
After laying the wreaths, the president and the premier stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect for the memories of the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971.
A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute at that time while the bugles played the last post.
The head of the state and the head of the government also signed the visitors’ book kept on the memorial premises.
Flanked by her party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the Awami League, paid glowing tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by placing another wreath at the National Memorial on behalf of her party.
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, senior AL leaders, leaders of AL-led 14-party alliance and high civil and military officials, among others, were present there.
Later, the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) speaker and the chief justice also paid homage to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum.
Every year, March 26 brings the most tragic reminiscence of history’s blackest episode that heralded a nine-month bloody ordeal from the night of March 25, 1971, achieving the long-cherished independence on December 16 the same year at the cost of a sea of blood.
In the wake of the military crackdown by the then Pakistan occupation force, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh through the then EPR (East Pakistan Rifles) wireless at 00-30 hours on March 26 (the night following March 25) in 1971 at his historic Road-32 residence at Dhanmondi in Dhaka.
The day is very auspicious and precious to the Bengali nation.
