Two sub-contractors hired by the China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) violating the agreement with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority are causing a delay in the implementation of the Karnaphuli Multilane Road Tunnel project under the river Karnaphuli in Chattogram.

Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, project director of Karnaphuli Multilane Road Tunnel, said this in a letter sent to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) recently.
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The two components – the management software system for BBA and the service area (east) - are being implemented by two local sub-contractors appointed by the CCCC in 2018, a few months after signing the deal with the BBA for the construction of the tunnel.

“CCCC was instructed to undertake this work, but they employed sub-contractors to do so.  CCCC selected these sub-contractors and is responsible for any default of the sub-contractors,” said Chowdhury.

He said these works are a component of the main contract between the CCCC and its management by CCCC. “Unfortunately, CCCC has not effectively monitored or exercised control over both these sub-contractors,” he said in the letter.

The current status of these components is such that, even after injecting additional resources, CCCC cannot complete these works within the scheduled project time for completion – by December 4, 2022, reads the letter.

The letter also said because of the slow progress and after a request from BBA to take action, CCCC has directly undertaken some of the works subcontracted, but even after this and injecting additional resources, the Chinese firm cannot complete these works within the schedule.

Bangladesh is implementing the 9.1-km tunnel under the River Karnaphuli at a cost of Tk 10,374 crore. It is one of the priority projects of the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The project is supposed to be completed by December 4, 2022, and the emerging situation forced the tunnel project office to seek an extension of time by six months for the loan availability from China’s EXIM Bank.

Amid this situation, the project office has requested the BBA to take up the matter with the Economic Relations Division.