Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Monday said the construction of the proposed rail-cum-road bridge over the Karnaphuli River at Kalurghat is progressing steadily, with the project expected to be completed by December 2030.

Replying to a starred question from BNP MP Ershad Ullah (Chattogram-8) in Parliament, the minister said the project is being implemented in accordance with the conditions of the loan agreement signed on June 27, 2024, under which a South Korean consulting firm will provide consultancy services for the bridge construction.

He said the project, titled Construction of a Rail-cum-Road Bridge over the Karnaphuli River at Kalurghat, was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 17, 2024.

Following the advice of the lender, the Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF), the first stage of appointing a consultant through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process has already been completed, the minister said.

Five South Korean consulting firms have been shortlisted through the EOI process and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) have been issued to them.

The shortlisted firms submitted their proposals on June 3, 2026, and the evaluation is currently underway in line with EDCF guidelines, he said.

After completing the assessment, one of the five firms will be selected to prepare the project's detailed design, the minister added.

Shaikh Rabiul Alam said the project implementation is moving ahead swiftly and effectively, expressing hope that the bridge will be completed by December 2030.