Till the Matarbari deep-sea port is opened in 2030, the traffic won’t increase as anticipated
Traffic levels are unlikely to increase as expected until the Matarbari deep-sea port opens in 2030
Vehicle traffic in the country’s first underwater tunnel, built beneath the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, has fallen significantly short of expectations. While an average of 18,000 vehicles per day was projected for the tunnel's first year, fewer than 4,000 vehicles are currently using it daily.
Despite generating over Tk 1 million in tolls each day, the tunnel's maintenance and operational expenses stand at Tk 3.7 million, resulting in an annual shortfall of nearly Tk 1 billion. Experts believe that this financial gap is unlikely to narrow over the next five years. The tunnel was primarily intended to facilitate the movement of goods to and from the Matarbari deep-sea port in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar, and to support increased traffic from industrial expansion in southern Chattogram. However, the completion of Matarbari port has been delayed to 2030, and planned industrial zones in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar are yet to materialize.
Today marks the first anniversary of the tunnel’s opening on October 29 last year, which was inaugurated by then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, an advisor to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, stated in an interview with *Prothom Alo* that the tunnel would be essential once the Matarbari port and industrial zones in Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram are operational. However, these developments are still pending.
“There was arguably no need to build the tunnel at this time,” Khan remarked. "If there’s no traffic and no revenue, what purpose does it serve? Perhaps it was constructed to earn praise, or possibly due to corruption. Now, we’re discussing strategies to boost traffic and revenue.”
The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel spans 3.32 kilometers under the Karnaphuli River and was funded through loans from China’s EXIM Bank and by the Bangladesh government, implemented by the Bangladesh Bridge Authority. Initially estimated to cost Tk 84.47 billion, the final expense rose to Tk 106.89 billion, with Tk 60.7 billion in loans from China.
Projected vehicle use in 2024 was set at 18,485 vehicles daily, yet data from Bangladesh Bridge Authority shows only 3,910 vehicles have crossed the tunnel on average each day since its opening—well below projections.
According to Moinul Islam, former economics professor at Chittagong University, the tunnel is a forward-looking project, but its full utilization may take up to five years. He suggests that constructing a marine drive from Mirsarai to Cox’s Bazar, alongside industrial, residential, and tourism developments, would maximize tunnel use over time. Once Matarbari deep-sea port and the Mirsarai economic zone are operational, tunnel traffic should increase, significantly impacting the regional economy. However, he noted, the project's costs warrant scrutiny.
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