Chattogram Bureau :
Vehicles are moving at great risk on Kalurghat Bridge built in 1931 on
the Karnaphuli river in Chattogram. Although the work on the new bridge has progressed somewhat, the design has stalled. More than 80 per cent of the work on the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar rail project has already been completed. More than 70km of railway line is now visible. The Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar route is scheduled to be launched by the end of this year. As a result, the dilapidated bridge is now the hope. Meanwhile, the railway authority has sought advice from the Bangladesh University of Engineering (BUET) on how to renovate and make the dangerous bridge suitable for train movement up to Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar. BUET is also conducting a survey for rail traffic on the bridge. General Manager of Eastern Region of Bangladesh Railway Jahangir Alam said, “The study of the advisory team is almost at the final stage. As soon as they give the report, the tender will be called accordingly in next March. It is necessary to repair it for train movement on Cox’s Bazar route.”
On April 22 of last year, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railway Ministry, ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, MP, told the reporters after inspecting the Kalurghat bridge, that the existing bridge will be stronger after repair.