Construction of the south line of the Karnaphuli under-river tunnel in Bangladesh has been completed.
A view of the south line of the Karnaphuli under-river tunnel in Bangladesh [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Located at the estuary of the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong, a coastal city in Southeast Bangladesh, the Karnaphuli under-river tunnel was funded by the Export-Import Bank of China and generally contracted by China Communications Construction Company Limited.
It connects the East and West banks of the Karnaphuli River and was designed and built to Chinese standards.
The four-lane 9.3-killometer tunnel has a shield section of 2.45 kilometers and a diameter of 11.8 meters.
The project is the first under-river tunnel in Bangladesh and the first under-water tunnel in Southern Asia.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to boost economic growth in Chittagong and make the region an economic capital of the country.
Meanwhile, the project will also be of great significance to Belt and Road construction, as it will improve the highway network in Asia, promote connectivity between Bangladesh and neighboring countries and boost the international development of Bangladesh.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
