Karnaphuli tunnel work starts by Dec, says Quader

CHITTAGONG, Jan 2: Road Communication and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to inaugurate the construction of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in December 2015 if his schedule is available.

Quader said this while visiting the project area at Patenga in the city on Friday morning. Ruling party MPs MA Latif and Shamsul Huq Chowdhury were present on the occasion.

The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had requested the Chinese foreign minister during his recent visit to Dhaka to inaugurate construction of the tunnel to be built with financing from the Chinese government.

"But the Chinese foreign minister told Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the Chinese President is likely to inaugurate construction of the tunnel if he can make a schedule to visit Bangladesh by the end of this year," Quader said. China will give a loan of US$ 10 billion for construction of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli and the process of construction will start by June-July next, he said.

China and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in June 2014 during Bangladesh Prime Minister's visit to Beijing. Although the issue of constructing the tunnel was not on the agenda, it came up for discussion at the highest level during her visit and both sides agreed to sign the MoU.

China Construction Co and ARUP, a consulting firm, have completed the feasibility study of the project. The sites have been selected at Patenga on the north bank of the river Karnaphuli while it will connect Anwara upazila on the south bank.

The construction of the tunnel will facilitate extension of the port activities to Anwara, the study said.

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