The image of an indomitable Bangladesh

 

The Padma Bridge is now a reality after dealing with various domestic and foreign conspiracies. The visible bridge over the river Kharsrota seems to have become a reflection of an indomitable Bangladesh. Even after the withdrawal of donors including the World Bank, the construction of the Padma Bridge with its funds once again said that no one has been able to oppress the people of this country.

The bridge will be built on the banks of the Parramatta Padma and the southern and southwestern parts of the country will be connected by road with the capital. The bridge will be financed by the World Bank, ADB, and JICA - all agreements are finalized. Meanwhile, in 2012, the World Bank suddenly made allegations of corruption, although work had not yet begun.

Then various ups and downs. After the World Bank, others also moved away from financing. The then Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain had to resign. Not only the case, bridge secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan has been jailed. There was pressure on the prime minister's adviser, Dr. Moshiur, to resign.

Although proven in a Canadian court, allegations of corruption were false. Even after all this, the World Bank has not returned, so the Prime Minister decided to do it with his funds. Prominent people, however, were skeptical about this. They questioned whether it was possible to build such a big bridge with their own money, and they were worried about its completion. There was also a fear of escalating the crisis in the economy.

The construction work of the Padma bridge started in November 2014. The construction of this bridge on the Padma, the second-fastest river in the world, was also a huge technical challenge. After river governance and piling, the work of building the central infrastructure started in 2016. With the installation of the first span in September of that year and the 41st span in December 2020, the much-awaited Padma Bridge of 6.15 km is visible.

On the night of June 14, the lights shone on 425 lampposts of the bridge, like a piece of Bangladesh lit by the new light of possibility. This project has been the victim of various domestic and foreign politics. Opposition groups called for a boycott of the assembly. There were also rumors about the Padma Bridge.

Overcoming all fears, this iconic project worth Rs 3,100 crore is now a reality. It will change the lives of millions of people in greater Barisal and Khulna. Now, wait, the train will start plying on this multipurpose bridge.