Padma Bridge inauguration end of June: Quader

GBNews24 Desk//

Padma Bridge will be inaugurated at the end of next month once Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gives her consent to open it, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday.

He said there is no confusion over the inauguration of Padma Bridge. “As a minister, I’m saying that teh Padma Bridge will be inaugurated at the end of June,” he said.

Quader, also Awami League General Secretary, made the remarks while briefing reporters after the 111th board meeting of Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) at the conference room of Bridges Division at Banani in the capital.

Regarding the naming of Padma Bridge, the minister said, “We’ve repeatedly tried to tell the prime minister that there is a strong demand of naming the Padma Bridge as ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge. But, the prime minister has disagreed with our request. We will propose the name of ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge’ in the summary which we will send to the prime minister office. She will decide the name. It is her jurisdiction.”

About the rates of toll, Obaidul Quader said, “We have sent a summary of different rates of toll to the prime minister. She will give approval of the rates of toll which she thinks appropriate.”

The minister said the progress of the work of main bridge is 98 per cent while river training is 92 per cent and the progress of carpeting work is 91 per cent.

The total work progress of the project is 93.50 per cent, he said.

Obaidul Quader said the total work progress of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram is 85 per cent.

Energy and Mineral Resources Division secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain, Roads and Highways Division secretary Md. Nazrul Islam, Power Division secretary Md. Habibur Rahman, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division secretary Md. Moinul Kabir, Land secretary Md. Mustafizur Rahman, Railway secretary Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir, Physical Infrastructure Division secretary Md. Mamun-Al-Rashid, Bridges Division secretary, and Bangladesh Bridge Authority executive director Md. Manzoor Hossain were, among others, present at the meeting.