4 local Cos submit tenders

Four Firms Bid for Major Southern Chattogram Highway Upgrade

Thebangladaily.com – Four local companies have submitted tenders for a major road development scheme intended to improve travel between southern Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, with the proposed work estimated at Tk1,300 crore. The project will upgrade the Patiya-Anowara-Banshkhali-Toitong-Eidmoni corridor, creating a wider regional highway along a route that serves expanding industrial, port and economic-zone activity.

September 28 was the final date for submitting bids, said Pintu Chakma, executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department in Chattogram. Construction is expected to begin during the current year, while completion has been scheduled for June 2030.

Nearly 60 kilometres to be widened

The government-funded initiative is formally titled “Upgrading the PAB-Toitong regional highway to proper standards and width.” It received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, or ECNEC, on June 9 after the revised Development Project Proposal was cleared.

Work will cover a 58.2km stretch beginning at Kalabibir Dighi in Anwara and extending to Matamuhuri, also known as Eidmoni, in Cox’s Bazar. The existing road is about 5.5 metres wide. Under the approved plan, it will be widened to 10.3 metres, a change intended to support heavier and more frequent vehicle movement on the corridor.

The route passes through or links areas including Anwara, Banshkhali, Toitong, Pekua and Matamuhuri. Residents and regular road users from Patiya, Karnaphuli, Anwara, Banshkhali and Cox’s Bazar are expected to benefit from the improvement, particularly where narrow sections and curves now contribute to slower traffic flow.

Land acquisition set to follow

Authorities are preparing to begin land acquisition for the project. Tk341 crore has been earmarked for that purpose, with particular attention expected in Banshkhali, where parts of the road need additional space for curve widening.

Land acquisition is a significant early stage in a project of this scale because the planned carriageway is substantially broader than the present alignment. The process will allow the Roads and Highways Department to prepare the corridor for construction while addressing the physical constraints that currently limit safe and efficient movement.

Officials view the highway upgrade as important because both congestion and road accidents have increased as traffic volumes have grown. A broader, better-standard road is expected to help the corridor handle present demand and the additional movement anticipated from major developments in the region.

A More Direct Link to Matarbari

One of the central aims of the project is to shorten the connection between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar by nearly 30km. Travel time on the route could fall by around one hour once the upgraded road is available.

The new alignment will also offer a shorter approach to Matarbari through the Karnaphuli Tunnel. At present, cargo travelling from Dhaka toward Matarbari generally follows a longer path through the tunnel, Anwara, Shikalbaha Y-Junction, Patiya Bypass, Gachbaria, Chakaria and Badarkhali.

The planned corridor would provide a more direct alternative via Kalabibir Dighi, Banshkhali, Toitong, Pekua and Matamuhuri. For freight operators and other road users, the value of the scheme lies not only in reduced distance but also in establishing a stronger connection among key transport and industrial locations in southern Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar.

Connecting ports, industry and economic zones

The road is expected to improve access between the Karnaphuli Tunnel, Matarbari Deep Sea Port, economic zones and industrial centres. Facilities in the wider service area include the Korea Export Processing Zone, China Economic Zone, Urea Fertilizer Unit-1, Urea Fertilizer Unit-2 and the Marine Academy.

These locations are already important generators of passenger and cargo traffic, and the proposed road is designed to strengthen the links among them. Its role is likely to become even more important when Matarbari Deep Sea Port begins operations, as the port is expected to add further pressure to road networks serving the southern part of the district.

The Karnaphuli Tunnel is a key part of that network. The 3.4km tunnel has two parallel tubes, each carrying two lanes, and connects Chattogram’s port-side area with Anwara. Its connection to the proposed upgraded highway gives the road project a broader strategic role beyond local travel alone.

Pintu Chakma described the scheme as one of southern Chattogram’s most anticipated infrastructure projects, highlighting its potential to reinforce transport links among the tunnel, port, economic zones and industrial hubs.

Long-Term Transport Importance

The tender process marks a practical step toward implementing an infrastructure plan that has been under consideration as traffic and economic activity have expanded along the corridor. The project is not limited to resurfacing an existing road; it involves bringing a regional highway to a more suitable width and standard for the area’s changing needs.

For daily commuters, wider road sections may help ease the bottlenecks that arise on a route used by large numbers of people. For businesses and industrial facilities, a more direct connection can support movement between Chattogram, southern coastal areas and Cox’s Bazar. The route’s connection with the tunnel and the planned deep-sea port gives it added relevance for future logistics planning.

With bids now submitted, the next phases will include tender evaluation, land acquisition and preparation for construction. If the project follows its planned timetable, the upgraded Patiya-Anowara-Banshkhali-Toitong-Eidmoni highway will be completed by June 2030, providing a wider and more connected road corridor across a rapidly developing part of Bangladesh.