UNB, Dhaka :
China has requested Bangladesh to start negotiations as soon as possible over a commercial contract between the two sides for the multi-lane road tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli River, said officials at the ministries concerned.
Chinese government has already selected state-owned Chinese contractor M/s. China Communications Company Limited for signing the commercial contract on the project, said a senior official at the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.
The Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Chinese Embassy in Dhaka has already written to officials concerned at the Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh Bridge Authority to take prompt steps in this regard, said a diplomatic source.
“…the commercial contact for the Multi-Lane Road Tunnel under the River Karnaphuli could be concluded at the soonest,” the Chinese Embassy official wrote in the letter dated January 22.
The official mentioned that the ‘early start’ of negotiations over the commercial contract of this project is ‘time-wise necessary’ according to the procedure of the concerned Chinese authorities and the EXIM Bank of China.
The Chinese Embassy has requested the officials concerned on Bangladesh side to start talks for the project as early as possible.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, construction on the tunnel under the Karnaphuli River will begin by the year-end as all the preparatory works will be completed by June-July next. The Tk-8,000 crore project is expected to be completed in four years.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has already visited the tunnel side in Patenga area in Chittagong.
The length of the tunnel is 3,400 metres while the west bank approach road will be 740 metres and the east bank approach road 4,952 metres.
This year there will be a number of activities as Bangladesh wants to see the inauguration of the tunnel’s construction work in presence of top Chinese leadership, said an official preferring anonymity.
During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China on June 6-11 June last year, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the Closer Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation. On June 9, Bangladesh and China signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River.
The year 2015 is the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between the two nations, and China is ready to take this opportunity to enhance political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, intensify bilateral exchanges in various fields, and constantly push forward China-Bangladesh comprehensive cooperative partnership.
China has requested Bangladesh to start negotiations as soon as possible over a commercial contract between the two sides for the multi-lane road tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli River, said officials at the ministries concerned.
Chinese government has already selected state-owned Chinese contractor M/s. China Communications Company Limited for signing the commercial contract on the project, said a senior official at the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.
The Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Chinese Embassy in Dhaka has already written to officials concerned at the Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh Bridge Authority to take prompt steps in this regard, said a diplomatic source.
“…the commercial contact for the Multi-Lane Road Tunnel under the River Karnaphuli could be concluded at the soonest,” the Chinese Embassy official wrote in the letter dated January 22.
The official mentioned that the ‘early start’ of negotiations over the commercial contract of this project is ‘time-wise necessary’ according to the procedure of the concerned Chinese authorities and the EXIM Bank of China.
The Chinese Embassy has requested the officials concerned on Bangladesh side to start talks for the project as early as possible.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, construction on the tunnel under the Karnaphuli River will begin by the year-end as all the preparatory works will be completed by June-July next. The Tk-8,000 crore project is expected to be completed in four years.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has already visited the tunnel side in Patenga area in Chittagong.
The length of the tunnel is 3,400 metres while the west bank approach road will be 740 metres and the east bank approach road 4,952 metres.
This year there will be a number of activities as Bangladesh wants to see the inauguration of the tunnel’s construction work in presence of top Chinese leadership, said an official preferring anonymity.
During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China on June 6-11 June last year, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the Closer Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation. On June 9, Bangladesh and China signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River.
The year 2015 is the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between the two nations, and China is ready to take this opportunity to enhance political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, intensify bilateral exchanges in various fields, and constantly push forward China-Bangladesh comprehensive cooperative partnership.
