United News of Bangladesh

The interim government of Bangladesh on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) approved a road connectivity project aimed at improving access between the much-talked-about  Karnaphuli Tunnel (Anwara end) and the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar National Highway at Gachhbari is set to be implemented, with the government allocating Tk 462.99 crore entirely from its own funds. The project, titled ‘Development of the Connecting Road from Karnaphuli Tunnel (Anwara) to Gachhbari of Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar National Highway’, will be undertaken by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) under the Road Transport and Highways Division. The implementation period has been fixed from October 2025 to December 2028. The approval came from the ECNEC meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, held at the NEC Conference Room of the Planning Ministry. Read more: Tk 2105 cr housing projects for July martyrs’ families, injured get govt nod Covering a total length of 21.08 kilometres, the project will be implemented in Anwara and Chandanaish upazilas of Chattogram district. Its primary objective is to upgrade the existing connecting road to appropriate standards and width to ensure uninterrupted, faster and safer road communication, reduce traffic congestion in Anwara and Chandanaish upazila towns, and develop an integrated, sustainable and cost-effective road transport network. According to the project profile, key activities include land acquisition, widening of road embankments, widening and strengthening of existing pavement, construction of new pavement with a width of 10.30 metres, surfacing works with DBS base and wearing course, construction of rigid RCC pavement, building of 18 RCC box culverts and three PC/RCC girder bridges, construction of RCC drain-cum-footpaths and retaining walls, and relocation of utilities. Anwara upazila holds significant geographical and economic importance, bordered by Patiya to the north, Banshkhali to the south, Chandanaish to the east and the Bay of Bengal to the west. The road serves as a vital transport corridor for access to KAFCO, the Korean EPZ, Parki Sea Beach, the Marine Academy, the shrine of Hazrat Shah Mohsen Aulia (RA), CUFL and several industrial establishments. Due to heavy traffic, congestion and road accidents have become common in the area. Under the proposed project, the road from Gachhbari to Joykali Bazar will be widened over 16.48 kilometres from the existing 5.5-metre width, while a new 2.50-kilometre road will be constructed from Syed Kuchiar Mor to Sholokata. Read more: ECNEC clears 17 projects with Tk 15,383 cr Another 2.10 kilometres from Sholokata to Kalabibir Dighi Mor (R-170) will also be widened. The entire corridor will be upgraded to national highway standards with a width of 10.30 metres. The road connects Kalabibir Dighi Mor of N-115 road (R-170) to Gachhbari (Z-1040), linking with the N-1 national highway after 21.08 kilometres. At present, vehicles travelling from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar via the Karnaphuli Tunnel must pass through a 39-kilometre route via Patiya–Anwara Y-junction–Shantirhat–Patiya Bypass–Gachhbari. Once the project is completed, the distance from the Karnaphuli Tunnel to Gachhbari via Anwara will be reduced by around 18 kilometres, saving an estimated 35 minutes of travel time. Officials said the project was first proposed in July 2023 with an estimated cost of Tk 495.76 crore and an implementation period up to June 2026. Following several rounds of review by the Planning Commission and Project Evaluation Committee (PEC), the Development Project Proposal (DPP) was revised multiple times to rationalise costs and timelines. The latest revised DPP proposes a reduced cost of Tk 462.99 crore, with an extended implementation period of one year and six months. The Planning Commission, in its recommendation, said the project would establish a modern, safe and efficient road connection between the Karnaphuli Tunnel and the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar National Highway. This, it noted, would facilitate smoother movement of passenger and freight vehicles, enhance the utilisation of the Karnaphuli Tunnel, and significantly improve connectivity between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar. Read more: Sylhet Osmani Int’l Airport expansion project rises by Tk 470 crore  The Karnaphuli Tunnel is a landmark infrastructure project and the first underwater road tunnel in South Asia. Located in the port city of Chattogram, Bangladesh, the tunnel runs beneath the Karnaphuli River to connect the city's east and west banks, essentially implementing a "One City, Two Towns" model. The entire route measures 9.39 kilometers, with the main tunnel segment spanning 3.32 kilometers, featuring dual two-lane tubes. It was constructed using a slurry shield tunneling method by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The project, part of China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, cost around $1.1 billion, with partial financing from the Exim Bank of China. The primary objective of the tunnel is to revolutionize transportation dynamics in the region. It is expected to significantly reduce travel time and alleviate traffic congestion on existing bridges, particularly easing the journey between Chattogram and the tourist hub of Cox's Bazar from four hours to potentially two. It also provides a vital link to the Chattogram Port, Matarbari Deep Seaport, and the proposed industrial zones in the Anwara Upazila, fostering trade and investment. Read more: Endless delay pushes Barui Para Bridge cost to Tk 136cr; frustration grows However, the project has faced some initial challenges. Since its opening in October 2023, the tunnel has experienced lower-than-projected daily vehicle usage, leading to significant financial losses due to high maintenance costs and high tolls compared to nearby alternatives.

A project envisioned as a vital connectivity link for Narail has instead come to epitomise years of delay, mounting costs and unmet promises. Construction of the Barui Para Bridge over the Nabaganga River in Kalia upazila has dragged on for nearly eight years, far exceeding its original one-and-a-half-year deadline. With only partial progress achieved, local residents and commuters continue to endure daily hardship, growing increasingly frustrated as deadline after deadline slips by. The prolonged delay has also come at a heavy financial cost. Originally approved at Tk 65 crore, the project’s budget has ballooned to around Tk 136 crore—almost two and a half times higher—largely due to design complications and repeated extensions. Crippling bridge forces 30,000 Lalmonirhat residents to risk their lives daily Once completed, the bridge is expected to significantly improve road connectivity between Narail Sadar and Kalia upazila, while also easing communication with at least three neighbouring districts. Until then, the unfinished structure stands as a reminder of stalled promises. Supervised by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), construction of the bridge began in 2018. Despite the passage of time, the project remains incomplete. The latest extension has set June next year as the new deadline. So far, work on 11 piers, 11 spans and the approach roads on both sides of the river have been completed. However, the most critical section—the central portion of the bridge—remains unfinished. This includes three piers and three steel spans that are yet to be installed, locals said. According to RHD sources, the PC girder bridge measures 651.83 metres in length and 10.25 metres in width. While the original contract value stood at Tk 65 crore, repeated design modifications and time overruns have pushed the total project cost to Tk 135.92 crore. Read more: Bridge of hopes over Narendrapur-Kachrar canal still waiting The initial contractor, M/s Jamil Iqbal and Moinuddin Bashi Construction Company, was awarded the project in 2018. The construction process, however, faced major setbacks after the No-9 pier was washed away twice following collisions with bulkheads. Unable to complete four piers and three spans of the main structure, the contractor spent Tk 61 crore before the Roads and Highways Department ultimately terminated the first-phase contract after multiple deadline extensions. Subsequently, the RHD awarded the remaining work under a second-phase contract to Concrete and Steel Technologist Ltd. The firm has reported that installation work has already begun on three imported steel spans, including a large 86.73-metre steel arch span sourced from abroad. Abdul Wadud Khan Liton, a responsible official of the contracting firm, acknowledged the delays, attributing them to the complexities involved in importing specialised steel spans. Read more: Irregularities deepen doubts over Khulna’s mega embankment project “We expect to complete installation of two spans within this month. We are hopeful that the central arch span will be installed and handed over to the authorities before the deadline,” he said. Narail Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Md Nazrul Islam said construction work has resumed in full swing after correcting earlier design flaws. He expressed optimism that the long-awaited project would finally be completed by mid-June next year, paving the way for the bridge to be opened to traffic. For now, however, residents of Narail continue to wait—watching an unfinished bridge stretch across the river, emblematic of both promise and prolonged delay. Read more: A decade on, Uttara lake development still stuck in limbo

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has reiterated the call for carrying out necessary maintenance works on roads in major industrial areas including Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram to ease traffic congestion and alleviate sufferings of commuters. A delegation of the BGMEA headed by its President Faruque Hassan met Chief Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) AKM Manir Hossain Pathan at the latter’s office in the city on Saturday and apprised him of the problems and sought immediate steps to address them. BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim, former First Vice Presidents SM Abu Tayeb and Nasir Uddin Chowdhury and Chairman of Bangladesh EPZ Investors’ Association Shahadat Musharraf Khan were also present at the meeting. BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said vehicles carrying export-oriented goods often remain stuck in traffic jams for long hours mainly for the dilapidated roads that connect major industrial zones, including Gazipur, Chattogram, Narayganj, Savar, Ashulia and Mawna. READ:  Pre- budget discussion: BGMEA seeks existing tax facility for 5 more years Besides, commuters including employees, workers and workers of industries have to go through immense sufferings every day while travelling on the damaged and bumpy roads and lose their valuable working hours, Faruque Hassan said. Traffic jam is eating up valuable portion of the lead time specified by buyers for shipment of exportable goods. “While Bangladesh is gearing up for more growth in the industrial sector including RMG industry, it is of utmost important to ensure smooth and faster transportation of export-import of goods and raw materials," said the BGMEA chief. “Once the mega projects taken by the government are completed, it would significantly improve transport connectivity in the country and accelerate trade by reducing cost of transportation and logistics. However, it is also necessary to carry out renovation of all the existing roads to ensure smooth traffic flow,” he added. READ:  BGMEA for promoting culture, heritage to boost country's image globally The RHD Chief Engineer assured the BGMEA delegation of necessary steps to repair the roads in the major industrial areas.

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on Monday began an online fellowship programme on strengthening and building the capacity of Roads & Highways Department (RHD) officials focusing on road maintenance and management system.

Stern legal action will be taken for carrying people in cargo vehicles, the Roads and Highways Division (RHD) said on Thursday.