Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Inaugurated The Padma Bridge of Bangladesh

By Mahbub Hasan Tutul,Dhaka

The door of Padma Bridge, the dream of millions of people of the country, has been opened. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has unveiled the Padma Bridge, the country’s largest project with her own funds. The much-anticipated 6.15 km long dream Padma Bridge was inaugurated at Mawa end of Munshiganj on Saturday.

This dream bridge will make great strides in road connectivity with the capital Dhaka and other major cities in 21 districts in the south and south-west. Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Mawa by helicopter. Apart from the members of the Council of Ministers, thousands of eminent personalities including foreign diplomats working in Dhaka were present on the occasion.

On the occasion of the grand inauguration of the country’s largest mega project with its own funds, the Prime Minister unveiled commemorative stamps, souvenir seats, inaugural envelopes and special seals at Mawa Point at 11:30 am as per schedule. The implementation of the project is expected to increase GDP by 1.2 to 2 percent. After paying the toll at Mawa Point at 11:49 am, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially inaugurated the Padma Bridge by unveiling the inaugural plaque and mural-1. He then started his journey from Mawa Point in Munshiganj to Jajira Point in Shariatpur. The Prime Minister reached Jazira Point and unveiled the inaugural plaque of the bridge and mural-2. He also participated in prayers there. Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam conducted the munajat in fluent language. However, the Holy Quran was not recited at the inauguration ceremony of the Padma Bridge.

Everything around the Padma Bridge was decorated in a colorful way. On the occasion of the inauguration of the bridge, 31 aircrafts and helicopters of Bangladesh Air Force have given exercises. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina witnessed the exercise of the Air Force standing in the middle of the Padma Bridge. After paying the toll at Mawa Point and going some distance across the bridge, the Prime Minister’s car stopped at a certain place and the Air Force exercise in Bangladesh started at 12:15 pm. The color is spread from the fighter plane to the open sky of Padma. The sky of Padma became colorful with different colors including red and green. Besides, five helicopters of the Air Force flew in the sky of Padma. The first helicopter had a flag with a picture of Bangladesh, the second helicopter had a picture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu, the third helicopter had a cloth flag with a picture of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the fourth helicopter had a flag with Padma Bridge achievement dream, the fifth helicopter had a national Segan Joy Bangla flag. Besides the Prime Minister, the display of Bangladesh Air Force in the sky and the flypass of MiG-29 enchanted millions of people on both sides of the waiting Padma Bridge. Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of the Prime Minister, was seen capturing the display camera of the Air Force. Earlier, the Prime Minister took a selfie with the girl doll.

Meanwhile, the leaders and activists joined the rally at Kathalbari in Madaripur with boats decorated in various colors. As the gathering place is next to the river Padma, they easily participated in the rally by boat. People from Shariatpur, Madaripur and Chandpur districts are coming to the rally site in motor boats.

Yesterday all the roads were paved on the banks of the Padma Bridge. After the inauguration, thousands of people are crossing the Padma Bridge on foot. The bridge will be opened for traffic on Sunday. From now on, people from the south will be able to go directly to Dhaka by road. Through this they are getting rid of the painful nightmare of the ferry. They will now be able to cross the river in just 6 minutes across the bridge.

This dream Padma Bridge not only established the long awaited direct road and rail link between the capital Dhaka and the southwestern part of the country, but also opened the door to greater connectivity and trade between the countries of South Asia. In addition, the bridge will have a significant economic impact on the country in general, as well as the 21 districts in the south in particular, by reducing transportation time and other costs.There was a thousand debates about the construction of Padma bridge. But after overcoming all the controversies, the Padma Bridge was built with its own funds as per Sheikh Hasina’s announcement.

According to the details of the project, the construction of the main bridge was done by the Chinese contractor China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC) and the river was managed by Sino Hydro Corporation of China. The project has been implemented at a total cost of Tk 30,933.6 crore.

Part of the Padma Bridge became visible on September 30, 2017 with the installation of the first span on pillars 37 and 38 during the construction of the bridge. Later, 41 spans were placed on 42 pillars one after the other. With the installation of the last 41st span on December 10, 2020, the entire structure of the multipurpose 6.15 km Padma Bridge became visible. The cost of construction of the main bridge is Tk 12,133.39 crore (including Tk 1,000 crore for 400 kV transmission line tower and gas line) and the cost of 13.7 km river management work is Tk 94,000 crore.

12 km including Toll Plaza and SA-2. Construction cost of Approach Road is Tk. 1,907.68 crore (including 2 toll plazas, 2 police station buildings and 3 service areas) where rehabilitation cost is Tk. 1,515 crore and land acquisition is Tk. 2,693.26 crore. Expenditure on environmental protection is Tk. 1,290.3 crore, consultancy is Tk. 6,783.7 crore and others (salary, transport, CD VAT and tax, physical and price contingency, interest etc.) are Tk. 1,731.17.

Toll has already been fixed for the use of Padma Multipurpose Bridge. On May 17, the Bridges Department under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges issued a notification in this regard. According to the notification, a motorbike will cost Rs 100, private car and jeep Rs 750, pickup Rs 1,200, microbus Rs 1,300, small bus (31 seats) Rs 1,400, medium size bus (more than 32 seats) Rs 2,000 and large bus Rs 2,000. (Three axles) 2400 rupees has been fixed. In addition, for small trucks (up to 5 tons) 1600, for medium trucks (5 to 6 tons) 2100 and for trucks weighing 8 to 11 tons 2800, for trucks (three-axle) 5500 rupees, for trailers (four axles) 6 thousand rupees. Is done. The notification further said that an additional Rs 1,000 will be added along with Rs 6,000 for each Excel on top of four Excel trailers.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader presided over the inauguration ceremony. Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam gave an introductory speech on the construction of the Padma Bridge. He said the project director. Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Director Kamruzzaman, Project Manager and Supervision Consultant Rorret John Avis and some others who were important in project implementation were introduced at the event. The Prime Minister was accompanied on the stage by Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam, on the other by Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, and on the other side by Shafiqul Islam, Project Director of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project. In addition, the speaker said. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Chief Justice Hasan Fayez Siddiqui, Saima Wazed Putul, Awami League Advisory Council Member, Central Leader, Cabinet Member, World Bank Country Director Mercy Tembon, Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswamy, Public Health Center Trustee Jafrullah Chowdhury,Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Krishak Sramik Janata League President Quader Siddiqui and leaders of various political parties and civil society and media personalities were present.