Karnaphuli Tunnel: Bridge Authority Sees Profit Prospects Through Private Dry Dock, Avoiding Losses

The country’s first underwater tunnel, the Karnaphuli Tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, was inaugurated in October 2023. However, due to lower-than-expected traffic, toll collection was only about one-fourth of the tunnel’s daily operating cost. Recently, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has seen the possibility of avoiding losses and generating profit, thanks to a privately-operated dry dock on the opposite bank of the Karnaphuli River.