Bangabandhu tunnel: 6.3m vehicles to ply in the opening year

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel is likely to be opened for vehicular movement in December 2022 or at the beginning of 2023.

A survey of 2013 estimated that a total of 6.3 million vehicles will ply through the tunnel in the first year of inauguration. Accordingly, a total of 17,260 vehicles will run daily.

Although the number of vehicular movement has been drawn from the survey, it fully depends on the economic activities of Cox’s Bazar and the southern Chattogram and the deep sea port of Matarbari in Moheskhali.

However, transportation will be faster if the marine drive project between Mirsharai and Chattogram is implemented. Terminal for Matarbari deep sea port will be inaugurated in 2026 while the field level work of marine drive is underway.

The survey further reported that 13.9 million vehicles will run along the tunnel in 2030. Of them, 50 per cent will be goods-laden transports. Md Zafar Alam, member (admin) of Chattogram Port Authority said, if the terminal of Matarbari sea port is established, vehicles carrying export and import products will cross through the tunnel.

The tunnel will ease the communication braving the city’s traffic jam, he added.

At present, the goods-laden as well as passengers carrying vehicles ply over the Karnaphuli River via Shah Amanat and Kalurghat bridges to reach the southern Chattogram and the tourist destination Cox’s bazar.

If the tunnel is launched, they will use this route instead to reach their destinations within the shortest possible period, said the authorities concerned.

They, however, added that they are yet to fix the toll, which might affect the rate of vehicular movement across the tunnel.