Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus -File Photo

 
CHATTOGRAM, May 13, 2025 (BSS) - Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus is expected to unveil long awaited foundation stone of the Kalurghat rail-cum-road bridge over the Karnaphuli River tomorrow.
 
With the unveiling of the foundation stone of the bridge during his first ever visit to his home district after assuming office last year, long cherished dream of people of city’s outskirt upazilas -Boalkhali, Patiya and South Chattogram- is finally going to be materialized.  
 
However, in a surprising and exceptional decision, his name will not be inscribed on the plaque breaking the long convention of the country’s propaganda-based development culture. 
 
Meanwhile, people of the southern part of the Karnaphuli River particularly the inhabitants of Boalkhali and northern part of Patiya upazilas has taken elaborate programme including bringing out joyous processions to welcome the foundation laying of the bridge. 
 
The organizers who had been demanding and launched movement for construction of the Kalurghat second bridge have taken decision to celebrate the event as a big success of their movement. 
 
Existing century old bridge is in very dilapidated condition and still being used for vehicular movement as well as for trains to and from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar posing a serious risk for a long time.  
 
The joyous procession will begin at 9am on Thursday under the joint initiative of the civil society of Boalkhali and the Boalkhali Kalurghat Bridge Implementation Committee (BKBIC). The procession will start from the western end of the Kalurghat Bridge and will ended after parading different important streets of Boalkhali, said Mustafa Naeem, joint convener of BKBIC. 
 
He expressed gratitude to Chief Advisor Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus for laying the foundation stone of the Kalurghat Bridge.
 
He also demanded the government to expedite the construction of the bridge by completing pre-implementation process including budgetary allocation as quickly as possible. 
 
“Khatibs of all mosques have been specially requested by the BKBIC to offer prayers and Munazat after the Juma prayers on Friday in all mosques of Boalkhali. Similarly, a special request has been made to the other religious communities to conduct prayers at their respective places of worships. 
 
Syed Zakir Hossain and journalist Manjur Morshed,  on behalf of Boalkhali civil society and BKBIC convener Abdul Momin and joint convener journalist Mustafa Nayem, have requested the people of Boalkhali to join the joyous procession. 
  
Considering the Chief Advisor's packed schedule on May 14, CA is expected to unveil the foundation stone of the bridge through a brief function at Circuit House on Wednesday noon instead of his visit on the bridge point. 
 
Railway Eastern Zone General Manager Mohammad Sbuktagin said that the decision of not inscribing the name of Prof Yunus on the foundation plaque was taken as per CA’s wish.
 
According to the primary project outline, tender has been invited to appoint a consultant for the project that got approval at ECNEC in 2024. Eight domestic and foreign companies have participated in the tender and next process is to invite the Expression of Interest (EoI) from the bidders concerned. 
 
It will take about six months to complete the appointment in two phases. 
 
After that, the project authorities will finalize the land acquisition and detailed design of the project and start the physical work in mid-2026. 
 
The railway aims to complete the construction of the 700-meter-long main bridge by 2030.  The total length of the bridge will be 11 kilometers and the width will be 100 feet. 
 
However, the length of the main bridge over the river will be only 700 meters. Viaducts of four and a half kilometers will be constructed on both sides. The extra-duty type bridge will have two dual-gauge railway tracks on one side and a standard two-lane road (each lane 18 feet) on the other side, as well as service lanes (five feet each) on both sides for pedestrian crossing. The bridge will have a total of seven spans, including five inside the river.