Karnaphuli tunnel building starts in Dec

Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, May 15: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said construction work of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli River would start in December.
The Prime Minister of China would visit the tunnel site along with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina next month (June), and he would formally declare construction of the tunnel in her presence, the minister said.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a reception accorded to the newly-elected mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) AJM Nasir Uddin and two directors of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) - Habibul Haque and Mazharul Islam Chowdhury - who have been elected ward councillors of CCC. CCCI organised the reception at World Trade Centre on Tuesday night.
Obaidul Quader said water-logging and keeping the port-city clean were the two major problems of CCC, and the new mayor should immediately take steps to address.
The minister said construction of four-lane Chittagong-Bandarban Road from Korerhat of Chittagong via Ramgar of Khagrachhari and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)-funded Chittagong-Cox's Bazar four-lane extension road would also be started very soon.
AJM Nasir said he cannot take up development projects right at this moment, and has to wait till July 26 due to legal complications.
CCCI president Mahbubul Alam urged the mayor to build the port-city as a megacity comprising two towns following implementation of the tunnel, as it will extend the city to the southern bank of the Karnaphuli River.
MA Latif MP, Shamshul Haque Chowdhury MP, Didarul Alam MP, Washika Ayesha Khan MP, CCCI senior vice president Nurun Newaj Selim, CCC vice president Syed Jamal, and deputy commissioner of Chittagong Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, among others, were present on the occasion.
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