GHITTAGONG: The long-awaited 3rd Karnaphuli Bridge linking the port city and a vast outlying part of greater Chittagong opened for traffic Wednesday as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated it amid cheers.    

Her motorcade drove over the bridge in the inaugural trip from southern end and then it was free for all.     

Communications Minister Abul Hossain accompanied the premier at the programme.

The 3rd Karnaphuli Bridge was a longstanding demand of locals of the areas that will facilitate movement of millions of people of Cox`s Bazar, Bandarban and southern upazilas of Chittagong and boost economic activities of the area.

Construction works of the bridge had started in April 19, 2006 near Shah Amanat Bridge and finished in July this year.
 
The 900-meter-long and 24.47-meter-wide bridge was built at a cost of Tk 380 crore.

BDST: 1500 HRS, SEPT 08, 2010