Hasina makes nation's dream come true

That dream of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has come true to open long-cherished Padma Bridge for public on June 25. With the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the dream of millions of people of the country has become true today.  The historic dream project of much-hyped Padma Multipurpose Bridge turned into reality.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open 'the dream of the Nation', Padma Bridge, for public at 10:30am on June 25, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday.
In 2009, the Awami League government took the initiative to implement the much-awaited Padma Bridge project. The project
implementation deadline was set in 2014. But the World Bank, its main financier, cut off funding for local and international conspiracy. Other donor agencies followed the World Bank.
Amid uncertainty over the future of the Padma Bridge project, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with her dynamic leadership  announced the construction of the Padma Bridge with local resources. At that time, many local and foreign experts were sceptical about the outcome of the project. But the visionary Prime Minister remained steadfast in her decision.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a firm voice that we will build the bridge with our own money. The Padma Bridge is the largest construction infrastructure since the independence of Bangladesh initiated by the dynamic and visionary leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The construction of the main bridge is being carried out by China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC), a Chinese contractor Company, and the river management is being done by Sino Hydro Corporation of China, according to sources.
China Major Bridge Engineering Corporation Limited did the main work of the Padma Bridge but there are many more companies and institutions associated with it. Along with Bangladeshis, Chinese, American, British, Indian and Japanese nationals are working round the clock on the project. Apart from foreign engineers, technicians and artisans, 70 engineers and 5,000 workers of the country have been involved in the construction of the Padma Bridge. It is not just a development project, it is a combination of aspirations and capabilities of the whole nation.
According to project details, the construction work began in December of 2015 with government's own fund. The estimated cost for construction of the bridge is Tk 301,933.88 million. The first span of the Padma Bridge was installed at the Zajira point of Shariatpur on October 7 in 2017 and the last span was installed on December 10 in 2020.
The world's largest floating crane, Tian-e, carried every span from the specialized construction yard from the specialized workshop at Kumarbhogh, Mawa at Louhajang upazila of Munshiganj and installed spans on different pillars one after another.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government, for the first time, is implementing such a mega project like Padma Bridge, which became possible under the credible leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "It seemed that the dream of millions of people, especially those in the southern region of the country, has become true," he added.
According to Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) officials, some 22 metres wide concrete deck slab (2.5 metres hard shoulder on the both side) with 4-lane road on upper deck, while a single track dual gauge rail line will be constructed on lower deck.
The deck height is 13.6 meters. The bridge is being built with 760mm dia Gas Transmission Line, 150mm dia Fiber optical and Telephone Duct, High voltage Electric Line, Platform in River over Pile Foundation at 2km downstream of Main Bridge.
The 6.15 km long bridge will be directly connected to other districts of the country including 21 districts in the south. This will lead to socio-economic development of the region as well as expansion of trade and commerce, industrialization and increase in employment.
 With the launch of the Padma Bridge, the once neglected southern region will come under the rail network. This bridge will connect Bangladesh with Trans-Asian Railways and Highways in future. Transportation of goods to Nepal, Bhutan and the northeast of India will be easy through Mongla and Payra seaports. According to experts, if the Padma Bridge is launched, the growth will increase by 1 to 2 per cent. Moreover direct communication will be established between Mongla Port and Benapole Land Port through the capital and port city Chattogram.
The pre-feasibility test of building the Padma Bridge was conducted in 1999 by the Awami League government. On 4 July 2001, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Padma Bridge.
After a detailed study, the Japanese donor agency JICA recommended the construction of the Padma Bridge at the Mawa-Jazira end in 2004. The bridge project hit a snag as the World Bank in 2012 cancelled its US$1.2 billion credit.
Work on the main bridge began in November 2014. According to the bridge department, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction of the main bridge on 12 December of 2015.
According to Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujon, the railway line from Dhaka to Bhanga in Faridpur will be launched with the opening of the Padma Bridge. Moreover, the railway line from Dhaka to Jashore will be operational if the ongoing work is completed by 2024.
The Padma Bridge is made with a mixture of steel and concrete. The main structure of the bridge, known as span, is made of steel, while the poles and vehicular pathways are made of concrete.
This will be a two-story bridge. Vehicles will run on the concrete slabs made on the top of steel spans and the train will run through the spans. It will be a 22 meters wide road divided into four lanes.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted a detailed survey in 2009, which shows that some 24,000 vehicles will pass through the bridge if inaugurated at the beginning of 2022. The number will increase every year and is estimated to reach more than 67,000 vehicles by 2050.