Communications Minister Nazmul Huda said this while presiding over a joint meeting of the donor agencies and Bangladesh government on the project profile of the bridge in the conference room of the ministry yesterday.

Swedish Ambassador Borje Mattsson, Dutch Ambassador Sjef Ijermans and Communications Secretary Rezaul Hayat attended the meeting.

The cost of the bridge has been preliminarily estimated at around Tk 439 crore and construction of the bridge is expected to be completed by 2005.

The meeting was told that the third bridge on the Karnaphuli would enormously contribute to expansion of the port city, development of tourist industries in Chittagong Hill Tracts and development of new industrial zones.

Besides, the bridge will have an important role in establishing direct road link with Myanmar.