Karnaphuli Tunnel built for ex-minister’s gain: CA Press Secretary 

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has alleged that former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury initiated the Karnaphuli Tunnel project primarily to serve his interests.

"Saifuzzaman Chowdhury's residence is in Chattogram's Anwara Upazila, which is an underdeveloped area. He pushed for the Karnaphuli Tunnel project mainly for his convenience and ease of travel," Alam said.

He made the remarks today at a discussion organised by the Development Journalist Forum of Bangladesh (DJFB) at the Planning Commission.

"Investigate the backstory [journalists]—find out who was behind this project. A seven-star hotel was built there at a cost of Tk 450 crore. Who will stay in that hotel?" he questioned.

He also expressed doubts about the necessity of such a high-end hotel in the area.

"Chowdhury built it for himself. He assumed that he would remain in power until 2041," Alam alleged.

Criticising the ousted Sheikh Hasina government's expenditure, Alam said the tunnel was not needed at this time, calling it a misuse of resources.

"Perhaps it will be needed 10 years from now. Look at the situation today—we can't even generate enough revenue to cover the maintenance costs of the tunnel's green servicing," he said.

He noted the lack of economic activity on the other side of the river, adding that the burden of such wasteful expenditure now falls on the public.

"To cover it, our taxes are increasing. There is no alternative but to shoulder the weight of this mismanagement," he stated.

Addressing the macroeconomic situation, Alam claimed that the current government inherited an economy on the brink of collapse.

"The economy was in such a fragile state that it could have fallen apart at any moment. However, in the last six months, we have witnessed remarkable improvements. It's just a miracle," he said.

He also accused the previous government of turning the energy sector into a "factory of theft" by allowing large-scale corruption through capacity charges.

"This organised looting was carried out with state support," he said.

The event was chaired by DJFB President Hamid Uz Zaman and moderated by General Secretary Abu Hena Muhib.