Whither Karnafuli Bridge?

The members of the parliament, including several ministers who hail from Chittagong promised to their respective electorates that they would give utmost priority to the construction of the Karnafuli Bridge, if BNP-led coalition was voted to power. The people, in good faith, trusted them and got them elected with an overwhelming majority as far as Chittagong and Cox's Bazar are concerned. Although two and a half years have passed since then, there is nothing on the ground to believe that the present government has done any thing credible in this respect.

When Prime Minister Khaleda Zia last visited Chittagong to lay the foundation stone of the Asian University for Women, the people of Chittagong were then eagerly waiting to see that she would lay the foundation stone of the Karanafuli Bridge too. But to their utter dismay, nothing happened and even not an official explanation given about the reasons for inordinate delay by the Ministry of Communication. The people of Chittagong, may the nation as a whole is now anxious to hear the reasons for such long delay.

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Sometime in last January, news media revealed the Foreign Minister Morshed Khan was negotiating with the Japanese government for assistance, while the Netherland's assistance was reportedly ensured. The truth of this matter is, however, unknown to the general public. Hence, doubt has arisen regarding the extent of Government's efforts in this respect and the outcome of their negotiation.

The communication sector which handles about one-fourth of the development budget that may be in the order to Tk 3500 to Tk 4000 crores per year is supposed to pay due attention to this crucial component of communication. The estimated cost of the bridge could be anywhere between Tk 400 and Tk 500 crores which is roughly one-eighth of its ADP allocation. If the ministry wishes to give due priority, which it deserves, it could start with its own budget allocation. While setting priority, importance wise Karnafuli Bridge deserves to be on the top of the list. Providing Taka-4 hundred crores through inter sectoral adjustment, though difficult, should have been done for a work of national priority like the construction of Karnafuli Bridge.

The government's current foreign policy is based on "Look east" implying that it sincerely wants to establish and culture better relationship through economic and business cooperation with the countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan etc. India is going to construct a long highway up to Thailand through Myanmar to strengthen their existing bilateral cooperation with these countries. Bangladesh is reportedly planning to link itself with that highway through Myanmar upto Thailand. Obviously, such link-highway can only be done through Chittagong. In order to achieve this highway-link with India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway, the government has to construct the proposed Karnafuli Bridge. Therefore, delay in constructing it means the delay in achieving the multiple benefits which the government's "Look East" policy is intended to bring about.

Due to delay in constructing the bridge, one is inclined to raise some heart searching questions such as: what is being done by the Ministry of Communication? Why has it been silent about the construction of proposed bridge? The reasons for asking these questions are that the people are not seeing on the ground any site plan, nor approach-roads on both sides up to the river Karnafuli where the bridge would be actually constructed. The people are now disappointed to see that these basic prerequisites have not yet been met not to speak of the construction of bridge itself.

The Bridge has a heavy political cost. The political parties perceive the strong felt-need of the people and then they promise to fulfil it. No party can win their heart, if they remain oblivious of their strong felt-need. The need for another bridge was felt soon after the damage to the existing bridge was caused by strong cyclone and tidal wave during early part of then BNP rule (1991-96). At that time Oli Ahmed was in charge of communication ministry. After the damaged part of the bridge was repaired, the BNP government forgot to construct the new bridge. Needless to say that the existing bridge was found to be defective right from the beginning, and hence, the need for constructing another bridge was greatly felt.

Unfortunately, the Awami League government gave no priority to this important matter. The people got vexed at them and so they did not vote for the Awami League candidates in the last general election. This is, in my view, a major factor for the defeats of their candidates. The BNP candidates could the read the minds of the people and they promised to construct a new bridge which might be the main reason for their victory in the election. Now the people of Chittagong have realised that the present government is also neglecting it and that the trust reposed in them is perhaps going to be belied once again!.

Population of Chittagong city has more than tripled in less than three decades. Its estimated population is now 4.0 million. With 5.0 percent annual rate of growth, it will be double in the next 14 or 15 years. The capacity to expand the city itself towards east, north and west is limited. Its expansion in possible only towards the south i.e. on the other side of the river Karnafuli. Hence, the urgent need for a stable bridge over the river has arisen. The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has already developed there a big housing estate. The private sector has meanwhile set up several industries and business enterprises. In spite of all these development, it is not understood why the construction of the bridge has been so delayed.

Government has declared Chittagong city as the commercial capital of Bangladesh. Consistent with this declaration, it needs to take some necessary actions for developing infrastructures, such as this bridge. The Ministry of commerce has not yet shifted the office of the Chief Controller of Export & Import and Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to cite a few examples of dillydallying. Direct air service has not yet been established between Jessore-Chittagong and Sylhet-Chittagong in order to enable the people of those regions to come for business purposes to Chittagong. In fact, things which the government can do have not yet been done to make the Chittagong city a viable commercial capital of Bangladesh. Perhaps it is high time for the Prime Minister herself to look into these urgent issues.

Dr Mohammed A Mabud is former Division Chief, Bangladesh Planning Commission.