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Obaidul Quader: Government mulls tunnel under Padma River between Daulatdia and Paturia

  • Published at 05:56 pm October 1st, 2021
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader
File photo of Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader UNB

The country’s first-ever underwater expressway, Bangabandhu Tunnel, is being built under the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong

The government plans to build a tunnel under Padma River instead of a bridge between Daulatdia and Paturia for the sake of the river’s navigability, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Friday.  

His statement came amid speculations that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, basking in the successful construction of Padma Bridge, will build a second one at Aricha to ease the sufferings of the commuters.

The country’s first-ever underwater expressway, Bangabandhu Tunnel, is being built under the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong.

Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, was speaking at a seminar organized by the party’s sub-committee on science and technology at the city’s Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB).

Also Read - Construction of Karnaphuli Tunnel gaining momentum

He said mere building of good roads was not good enough. These must be maintained properly.

Turning to politics, he once again criticized opposition BNP for its lack of any political direction. He said that BNP’s Vision 2030 announced before the last election had been kept in cold storage.  

He said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has visions for 2021, 2041 and 2100, and she will do whatever is needed to achieve these visions”.

The seminar was presided over by the chairman of the sub-committee Professor Dr Md Hossain Mansur.