The completion ceremony of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel's south tube was celebrated on November 26. The tunnel was named after the country's founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and was built by a Chinese enterprise.
The tunnel sits at the estuary of Karnaphuli River in Chittagong, Bangladesh, connecting the east and west banks, with a total length of 9.3 km. The shield tunnel section is a double-barrel four-lane tunnel with a design speed of 80 km/h, a length of 2,450 m, and a diameter of 11.8 m. All construction works on the south tube of the tunnel were completed.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel is the first underwater tunnel in South Asia and the first large-diameter underwater shield tunnel undertaken by Chinese enterprises overseas. After completion, it will not only greatly improve the traffic conditions in Chittagong, boost the economic development of Bangladesh, but also help improve the Asian highway network and promote the connectivity between Bangladesh and neighboring countries. It is of great significance for the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
