Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus is set to lay the foundation stone for the long-awaited Kalurghat rail-cum-road bridge over the Karnaphuli River on Wednesday, choosing not to have his name inscribed on the plaque—a symbolic gesture that reflects his commitment to public service over personal recognition.
The ceremony, to be held at the Circuit House in Chattogram, coincides with his first official visit to his home district since taking office. Although he won’t visit the construction site due to time constraints, the event marks the formal beginning of a major infrastructure project that has been decades in the making.
Residents of Boalkhali, Patiya, and the southern parts of Chattogram are celebrating the announcement as a hard-won victory. Civil society and the Boalkhali Kalurghat Bridge Implementation Committee (BKBIC) will hold a celebratory procession on Thursday morning, starting from the western end of the current bridge.
“This is more than a bridge—it’s the culmination of years of advocacy,” said Mustafa Naeem, joint convener of BKBIC. He urged the government to fast-track construction through timely funding and efficient planning.
In a show of interfaith unity, Boalkhali mosques will offer special prayers after Friday’s Juma prayers, while other religious communities are planning similar observances to mark the occasion.
The existing Kalurghat bridge, over a century old and in critical condition, remains in use for both road and rail transport—including the vital Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar route—despite repeated warnings from experts about its structural vulnerabilities.
According to Railway Eastern Zone General Manager Mohammad Sbuktagin, Prof. Yunus personally requested that his name be excluded from the plaque, signaling a break from traditional self-promotional practices in government projects.
Approved by ECNEC in early 2024, the new Kalurghat bridge project is already underway, with eight local and international firms submitting tenders. Consultant selection is expected within six months, and construction is targeted to begin by mid-2026. The bridge is slated for completion by 2030.
The project includes an 11-kilometer span featuring a 700-meter-long main bridge across the Karnaphuli River, complete with dual-gauge rail lines, a two-lane road, and pedestrian pathways. Supported by seven spans and extended viaducts on both sides, it promises to be a modern marvel serving transportation needs for decades to come.
For the people of Boalkhali and beyond, the foundation-laying represents not just infrastructure development, but a long-overdue recognition of their perseverance and a hopeful step toward a safer, better-connected future.
Prof. Muhammad Yunus to Lay Foundation of Kalurghat Bridge Without Name on Plaque, Marking a Milestone for Chattogram
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus is set to lay the foundation stone for the long-awaited Kalurghat rail-cum-road bridge over the Karnaphuli River on Wednesday, choosing not to have his name inscribed on the plaque—a symbolic gesture that reflects his commitment to public service over personal recognition.
The ceremony, to be held at the Circuit House in Chattogram, coincides with his first official visit to his home district since taking office. Although he won’t visit the construction site due to time constraints, the event marks the formal beginning of a major infrastructure project that has been decades in the making.
Residents of Boalkhali, Patiya, and the southern parts of Chattogram are celebrating the announcement as a hard-won victory. Civil society and the Boalkhali Kalurghat Bridge Implementation Committee (BKBIC) will hold a celebratory procession on Thursday morning, starting from the western end of the current bridge.
“This is more than a bridge—it’s the culmination of years of advocacy,” said Mustafa Naeem, joint convener of BKBIC. He urged the government to fast-track construction through timely funding and efficient planning.
In a show of interfaith unity, Boalkhali mosques will offer special prayers after Friday’s Juma prayers, while other religious communities are planning similar observances to mark the occasion.
The existing Kalurghat bridge, over a century old and in critical condition, remains in use for both road and rail transport—including the vital Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar route—despite repeated warnings from experts about its structural vulnerabilities.
According to Railway Eastern Zone General Manager Mohammad Sbuktagin, Prof. Yunus personally requested that his name be excluded from the plaque, signaling a break from traditional self-promotional practices in government projects.
Approved by ECNEC in early 2024, the new Kalurghat bridge project is already underway, with eight local and international firms submitting tenders. Consultant selection is expected within six months, and construction is targeted to begin by mid-2026. The bridge is slated for completion by 2030.
The project includes an 11-kilometer span featuring a 700-meter-long main bridge across the Karnaphuli River, complete with dual-gauge rail lines, a two-lane road, and pedestrian pathways. Supported by seven spans and extended viaducts on both sides, it promises to be a modern marvel serving transportation needs for decades to come.
For the people of Boalkhali and beyond, the foundation-laying represents not just infrastructure development, but a long-overdue recognition of their perseverance and a hopeful step toward a safer, better-connected future.
