Thousands of enthusiastic people flocked to experience movement through the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, built beneath the River Karnaphuli, on Friday – the first weekly holiday since the tunnel’s opening for traffic on 29 October.

According to the authorities, a total of 6,522 vehicles of various modes crossed the tunnel within a 12-hour period, concluding at 6:00 pm yesterday, with Tk1492,950 in tolls being collected from these vehicles.

Due to the high volume of people and traffic, significant congestion was observed at both the Patenga and Anwara ends of the tunnel till night.

Excited commuters primarily relied on various rental vehicle services, including cars, microbuses, and buses, to experience this marvel of engineering. Several buses were also offering services to transport visitors to and from the two ends of the tunnel at a nominal fare.

Individuals from all walks of life, predominantly children and young adults, gathered there to witness the sunset at Patenga Sea Beach and then traverse the tunnel.

During a visit to the location on Friday afternoon, this correspondent witnessed lengthy queues at both the Patenga and Anwara ends. Sources indicated that these queues formed due to the high influx of visitors and traffic.

Fairuz Faiza, a visitor hailing from the city’s GEC Intersection, stated, “We departed from our residence at approximately 3:30 pm and reached the tunnel around 6:00 pm due to the substantial crowd.” However, Fairuz expressed her excitement, saying that all inconveniences were forgotten after successfully passing through South Asia’s first under-river tunnel.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated South Asia’s inaugural under-river tunnel by unveiling a plaque at the Patenga end on 28 October. She also became the first traveler to pay the toll.

The long-awaited tunnel project is expected to bring about a revolution in connectivity, business, and tourism within the country. Experts predict that by connecting South Chattogram with other regions of the country, the tunnel will promote industrial expansion, attract both foreign and domestic investments, and transform Chattogram into a global trade, transshipment, and logistics hub.