The Karnaphuli River Tunnel in the port city of Chattogram will be named after the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inaugurate the project on February 24, Road Transport and Bridges Minister, Obaidul Quader, has said. The minister announced the decision during the signing of an agreement between the Bridges Authority and the Bangladesh Navy on the tunnel’s security, at the city’s Setu Bhaban yesterday (Monday).

“The Navy will look after security matters of the construction project. It will be the first ever river tunnel in South Asia and we expect the construction work to be completed by 2022,” the minister said.

Chief engineer Kazi Ferdous of the Bridges Authority and Commodore Mahmudul Malek, director of naval operations, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

The Navy will ensure security during the four-year construction period. Among others, Navy Chief Vice Admiral Abu Mozaffar Mohiuddin Mohammad Aurangzeb Chowdhury and other senior officials, including the Bridges Division secretary, were present on the occasion.

The Karnaphuli River Tunnel will be 3.4km long and 10 metres wide. The project includes approximately 6km of connecting roads, and will connect the port of Chattogram Sheikh Hasina and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Numerous heads of state and government, including Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi, Member of the 19th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Yang Jiechi, President of Ukraine Petro Poroschenko, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are likely to attend the security conference this year.

The MSC 2019 is also anticipating the largest US delegation of all time. From the United States, according to the website of the host, Vice President Mike Pence and Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan have confirmed their participation. The US Congressional Delegation will be led by Senators Lindsey O Graham, Sheldon Whitehouse, Roger F Wicker, James Inhofe, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

The other confirmed participants include Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, Christine Lagarde, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, and Kristalina Georgieva, acting President of the World Bank.

High on agenda of the MSC 2019 are themes such as the European Union’s self-assertion, transatlantic cooperation, as well as possible consequences of a renewed era of great power competition. Besides, experts from across the globe will discuss the future of arms control and cooperation in defence policy.

UAE Visit From Germany, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit the United Arab Emirates on February 16 to attend the International Defence Exhibition and Conference 2019 to be held in Abu Dhabi. In the UAE, the Prime Minister is likely hold meetings with top UAE leaders, including Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE’s Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home on February 20.