Construction of the third Karnaphuli Bridge will begin early next year, Bangladesh's finance minister Saifur Rahman said in his budget speech yesterday. He said that the Kuwait government had informed Bangladesh earlier in the week of its decision to provide some US$50 million for the project. Other projects for the coming year include the rebuilding of about 4,000km of road including the 3rd Buriganga, Teesta, 2nd Shitalakshya and Dapdapia bridges. There are also plans for two flyovers of 1km and 1.9km.