Padma Bridge, A symbol of pride

BSS :
The 6.15 km double-deck rail road Padma Bridge that linked the country’s less developed southwestern region to capital Dhaka as well as the eastern region has appeared as a symbol of national pride as it’s the first mega project implemented with domestic fund displaying the country’s strong economic footing.

According to political analysts and experts, overcoming all odds and challenges including financial, engineering and political, the country got back its dignity with the construction of its longest bridge with its own funds in a brave move after the World Bank (WB) withdrew from the project.

On June 25 in 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the bridge on one of world’s mightiest rivers connecting southwestern Bangladesh with the capital and other parts while both the streams are considered powerful in terms of their length, water discharge and morphological trends.

The event came 25 years after she opened the Bangabandhu Bridge on the Jamuna River, another most powerful stream, linking northwest with Dhaka and other parts of the country in 1998, until when that was Bangladesh’s longest multipurpose bridge.

But the Padma Bridge carries extra significance as the structure was built entirely with domestic financing, defying speculations by many financial analysts if Bangladesh could mobilize the fund depending on domestic resources.

The Padma Bridge project witnessed several engineering wonders as well as technological challenges but eventually emerged as a wonder structure for Bangladesh that saw use of state-art machineries and know how.

On political considerations, the project also was faced with multi-pronged obstacles amid subtle campaigns to force the government to virtually abandon the initiative halting overseas funding for its construction.

Several political and diplomatic analysts even some overseas partners had also speculations that the project would eventually be a failure.

But, at last, the mighty Padma River becomes conquered and people living on both the banks are no more helpless as they have now got the connectivity with both sides.

The Padma Bridge connects Louhajang Upazila of Munshiganj and Zazira Upazila of Shariatpur and a small part of Shibchar Upazila of Madaripur.

After the inauguration of the bridge to traffics, the people of southwestern region are driving straight to Dhaka by road, leaving the awful nightmare of ferry ghat, as they can now cross the river in just six minutes over the bridge.

The dream bridge which not only established the long-awaited direct road and rail communications between capital city Dhaka and south-western parts of the country, but also opened up the doors of greater connectivity and trade among the Asian countries.

Besides, the bridge also has significant economic impacts by cutting the travel time as well as other costs to bring prosperity for 21 districts in particular alongside the national in general.