Road Transport and Bridges Ministry today inked a deal with a Chinese firm for the construction of a two-lane tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong.

Khandaker Anwarul Islam, Bridges Division secretary, and Liu Qitao, Chairman of China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), signed the agreement in Beijing this afternoon, Md Abu Naser, senior information officer of the ministry, told The Daily Star.

Bangladesh Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and his Chinese counterpart Yang Chuantan were present at the deal signing ceremony.  

Quader is leading an eight-member delegation there.

Earlier on Friday, the minister told The Daily Star that construction work of the tunnel would begin in October in presence of both the prime ministers of Bangladesh and China.

The structural construction would kick off in December and would be completed within four years, he said.