Bangabandhu Tunnel to Open on Oct 28

At a news conference at Setu Bhaban in Dhaka today, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will officially inaugurate the Bangabandhu tunnel on October 28.

The primary tunnel is 3.32 kilometers long and is being built between 18 and 31 meters beneath the Karnaphuli. Each of the two four-lane tubes is 2.45 kilometers long. At the western and eastern ends of the main tunnel, there will be 5.35 km of connecting roadways, and the Anwara end will include a 727 m flyover.

The long-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway will partially open to traffic on September 2, according to the ministry.

The minister declared that the prime minister will dedicate the Airport-Farmgate section of road on that day.

Once it is open to traffic, the 11-kilometer stretch that runs from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Farmgate through Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, and Tejgaon will provide a different route to and from the airport road, one of the busiest in the city.

With 15 ramps for entering and leaving the expressway, this stretch allows for the avoidance of congested roads and crossings by moving traffic.

According to reports, the highway will also be closed to motorcyclists and three-wheelers, enabling other cars to go at a speed of 80 km/h.