Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday formally inaugurated the construction work of rail line at Jhilongjha that will connect Cox's Bazar with other parts of the country.

The work on the Tk 1,852 crore project

will be completed by December 31, 2013. Of the total amount, the government will provide Tk 670 crore while the rest Tk 1,182 crore will come as project aid.

Earlier in the morning, the prime minister also inaugurated the Cox's Bazar Air Force Base.

Under the railway project, there will be two metre gauge lines - one 100km long will connect Dohajari in Chittagong with Cox's Bazar via Ramu and the other 28km line will connect Ramu with Gundum.

There will be four bridges in the rail line over Sangu, Matamuhuri, Shankha and Banshkhali rivers.

The stations on the railway line will at Satkania, Dulahazra, Chokoria, Edgaon, Ramu, Cox's Bazar, Ukhia and Gundum.

The first survey for the railway line was conducted in 1890 during the British colonial regime. But due to the first and second world wars the construction works could not be started. The first feasibility study on the rail line was conducted in 2001 during the previous Awami League regime.

The primier offered munajat after formally inaugurating the construction works.

Later, at the same place, Hasina also opened the work on the upgraded submarine cable connection of Cox's Bazar Landing Station, which cost Tk 50 crore. She also offered mujajat and held a meeting with the officials.

According to officials, the government connected the submarine cable using the 40G solutions to increase the bandwidth.

The expansion works will be completed by November this year.