Staff Correspondent

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 11,560.77 crore new rail-cum-road bridge project over the River Karnaphuli at Kalurghat beside the existing old bridge to ensure smooth and uninterrupted communication system between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.

The approval came from the 3rd ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY25) and the 2nd of the interim government held at the Chief Adviser's Office in the capital with Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning and Education Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud said that the day's meeting approved a total of four projects involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 24,412.94 crore. Of the total project cost, Taka 7,746.66 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 16,012.33 crore from project assistance while Taka 653.95 crore from the concerned organization's own fund.

Of the approved four projects, two are new while two others are revised projects. Besides, the meeting approved the timeframe extension of seven projects without raising their costs. The Ministry of Railways will implement the rail-cum-road bridge project to be implemented by December 2030.

Out of the total project cost of Taka 11,560.77 crore, Taka 4,435.62 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh while the rest of Taka 7,125.15 crore will come from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and Economic Development Promotion Facility (EDPF), Korea.

The planning adviser said the fresh project has been considered since the existing bridge at Kalurghat is old and dilapidated.

Besides, he said the government also wants to transform Cox's Bazar as a much improved tourist destination side by side the Matarbari coal-based power plant and adjacent economic zone needs improved communication. For this, the government felt that a fresh project should have to be undertaken in this regard, he added.

A Planning Commission official said the main objectives of the project are to ensure smooth and uninterrupted rail communication between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar and also to create scope for linking with the Trans Asian railway.

Officials at the Ministry of Railways said that currently trains could not ply through the old and dilapidated Kalurghat Bridge at a speed of more than 10 kilometer per hour.

Besides, once the Matarbari Deep Sea Port will come into operation, trade and commerce in this region will get a boost while the importance of this route would be increased.

Already, direct rail link has been established between Dhaka and Cox's Bazar with the launching of the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar rail Line.

As a result, it has become indispensable for constructing a new rail-cum-road bridge over the River Karnaphuli at Kalurghat beside the existing old bridge to ensure smooth communication with the tourist city.

Under the circumstances, the project has been framed and thus approved with funding from the Korean government. The proposed project would also play a vital role for ensuring smooth rail communication and transportation of goods with the Chattogram Port since it accounts for country's 70 percent of the import and export operations.

The mills and factories as well as industries situated at various export processing zones and special economic zone in this region would also be able to transport their goods once the new bridge is constructed.

The main project operations include construction of 700 meter rail-cum-road bridge, construction of 6.20 kilometer viaduct, 2.40 kilometer road viaduct, 4.54 kilometer embankments, erection of 11.44 kilometer rail track and ancillary works.

Regarding the approval of Matarbari Port Development, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 6,573.96 crore, the Adviser said that it is a big project and it also has geopolitical aspects.

He said there has been a row between China and India for long over funding of this port. The Planning Adviser said necessary works are yet to begin at Matarbari Port while roads would be constructed for Port development.

The two other projects approved in the meeting are SASEC Road Connectivity, Project-2: Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur Highway Four Lane Upgradation, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 376.99 crore and Resilient Urban and Territorial Development Project (REUTDP) with Taka 5,901.22 crore.