Bangabandhu Tunnel authorities collected Tk12,13,300 in tolls from 5,678 vehicles on its first day of operations on Sunday.
“There we fewer vehicles than expected on the first day due to the hartal [enforced by the BNP]. We hope the toll collection will be much higher today,” Belayet Hossain, toll manager, said on Monday.
Kazi Mohammad Ferdous, chief engineer (operation and maintenance), said authorities wanted to hit a target of 17,000 vehicles crossing the tunnel per day, also blaming the hartal for the low number of vehicles on Sunday.
Bangladesh has entered a new era of connectivity, becoming the first country in South Asia with an under-river tunnel.
The tunnel is facilitating the passage of vehicles beneath the Karnaphuli River, marking a significant milestone in the nation's infrastructure development.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the highly anticipated Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, before taking the first ride through it on Saturday.