Construction of 3rd Karnaphuli bridge uncertain

Local leaders of the ruling BNP-led four-party alliance express solidarity with the journalists, right, who staged a token hunger strike recently demanding immediate construction of the Third Karnaphuli Bridge and the foundation stone, left, of the bridge laid by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on April 19 this year. PHOTO: STAR

Construction of the third bridge on the river Karnaphuli has become uncertain due to complications in raising fund and administrative tangles.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia laid the foundation stone of the bridge on April 19 this year to construct it by 2006 at a cost of Tk 450 crore.

The government at its first meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project on priority basis as it was part of the proposed Asian Highway.

The government took initiative for Dutch fund immediately after it came to power and Communication Ministry sent a letter to the Dutch- Swedish Consortium in this regard in 2002.

The Consortium offered 36.5 per cent of the total estimated cost of 70 million euros as grant, 28.20 per cent as interest-free loan and 20.30 per cent with a three per cent interest leaving 15 per cent (10.5 million dollars) to be financed by Bangladesh government.

Five Dutch teams, including three technical and two financial ones, visited Chittagong and hold several meetings with the private sector business leaders for feasibility studies.

The Dutch fund was verbally confirmed last year while official confirmation came few months back this year.

But the government rejected the Dutch offer through a letter officially some time by the end of September or early October, sources said. The government decided to reject the Dutch offer and go for fund from elsewhere, particularly keeping a possible offer from Kuwait in mind, simultaneously early this year, sources added.

All the procedures for construction of the bridge went in vain with Dutch assistance following administrative complexities, sources said.

The government, however, took a fresh initiative to construct the bridge with the financial assistance from Kuwait instead of Netherlands.

Under the new initiative, Kuwait will give 52 million dollars for construction of the bridge as loan at two per cent interest rate, sources said. But it was not confirmed yet by the Kuwait government and Bangladesh government will have to bear rest of the expenditures, sources added.

Tender will be floated for construction of the bridge after fresh assessment of pre-qualifications and short-listing of the intended bidders, designing and evaluation.

All these procedures will take at least another one year to start construction of the bridge, sources added.

Meanwhile, people from all walks of life have been staging demonstration here demanding construction of the bridge.

Construction of the bridge could have opened up a huge scope of industrialisation on the other bank of the river Karnaphuli linking the tourist city of Cox's Bazar and south Chittagong.

At this situation, common people, businessmen and journalists have raised a voice for immediate construction of the proposed bridge.

Chittagong journalists on November 5 observed a token hunger strike at Chittagong Press Club premises demanding implementation of the project.

Local leaders of ruling BNP led 4-party alliance and opposition parties, professional and business organisations as well as people from all walks of life expressed solidarity with the programme.