What the Prime Minister said about the second Padma Bridge

News Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the construction of the second Padma Bridge at Daulatdia-Paturia will be considered if the huge cost incurred in the construction of Padma Bridge at Mawa-Jajira end is raised. He was responding to a question from a private television reporter at a press conference on Wednesday (June 22) at the Prime Minister's Tejgaon office on the overall situation in the country. The Prime Minister said, “The second Padma Bridge will be constructed as soon as the huge cost incurred in the construction of Padma Bridge is raised. We have made connections by building different bridges all over the country. Arrangements are being made for the second one after the Padma Bridge is inaugurated. ” Regarding the second Padma Bridge, Sheikh Hasina said, "We have to see first, how much is the need for it? That will be considered. I can't finish such a big job and start another one right now. ” The Prime Minister further said, “The place is not very big, not a big bridge. So in the future when you think it will be needed, you can think about it. As I said before, I have to see what the return will be if there is any need. I will take the project after seeing that. We have it in our heads. I have spent so much now, let the money come first. Then I will do the second one. ” The head of government said, “Daulatdia could be reached by ferry from Aricha. And there was a place in Paturia. There was constant dredging. At my suggestion, the place was filled with dredging soil. Our government built a seven kilometer road from Daulatdia to Paturia. Although it could not be inaugurated. The road was paved to reduce freight time. In Paturia, it is my job. ” The Prime Minister said, “30-35 km from Daulatdia to Rajbari junction. Is to go. Kushtia can be reached from Kamarkhali Bridge from Rajbari junction. I have also built a bridge from Pangsha to Kumarkhali. So from this side (from Dhaka) we have arranged communication in many ways. ” The Prime Minister further said, “Padma Bridge is our pride, our pride. The intoxicating river Padma separated the southern part of the country from the capital Dhaka and other districts. We, the people of the south, know that suffering very well. "People in the south know the risks and the time it takes to get to our capital." "I formed the government in 1996 and visited Japan in 1997," he said. Going there, I requested the Prime Minister of Japan to build a bridge over the river Padma and the river Rupsha. I offer them, they agree to our offer. " Sheikh Hasina said, “Padma is one of the fast flowing rivers of the world. Padma after Amazon. Japan begins survey work to build a bridge over the Padma River. I would like to recall here that when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Japan in 1973, he spoke of bridges over the river Jamuna and the river Padma. However, he emphasized on the bridge over the river Jamuna and then the Japanese government surveyed the river Jamuna. We built a bridge over the river Jamuna with the help of Japan. ” Sheikh Hasina further said, “Japan surveyed the bridge over the river Padma and handed over our report in 2001. Based on that, I laid the foundation stone on July 4 of that year. In the survey, Japan decided to build the Padma Bridge along the Mawa border. We are unfortunate that we did not come to power in 2001. The BNP government came and stopped it. The BNP leader at the time said that it would not happen from here; Will be from Aricha Ghat. They then asked Japan to re-examine. At that time, the survey report given by Japan in 2003 or 2004, they also asked to build this Padma bridge from Mawa. Then we heard that there will be two Padma bridges. But the BNP government could not do anything. ” The Prime Minister said, "After we formed the government again in 2009, there is no step to build the bridge again. We then hired a New Zealand-based company, Monsel A Com, to create the design. Initially, there was no plan for rail movement in the Padma project. But I wanted it to be multipurpose. Because, it is not possible to build a bridge over this river again and again. Because it is a very fast flowing river. Later it was finalized with the help of railways. The design was finalized by 2010. The DPB was amended the following year. The project cost 10 thousand 508 crore. There were several reasons behind this increase in expenditure. 10 thousand crore was spent during the caretaker government; But there were no other benefits. There, the river was to be shortened and the Padma bridge was to be made smaller. But I have never been in favor of shrinking the river Padma. At that time the length of Padma bridge was 5.56 kilometers. Later, according to the Padma, it was not decided to build a main bridge of 6.15 km and it was designed that way. In the first DPB, out of 41 spans of the bridge, it was decided that only three would be raised and boats would leave from there. But those who have ever been to the Padma River by launch and steamer, know the current of the Padma. This current does not mean any dam. No one can say when it will go in which direction. That's why I decided that ships could go anywhere on the river, and that the spans were designed to be as wide as possible. " Sheikh Hasina further said, “I am the daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I say what I can do. I do what I say. Despite hundreds of obstacles, I did not move away from there. I have given proof of that. ” The Prime Minister said, "Despite so many conspiracies, we have succeeded. Thanks to everyone who was on the advisory committee at the moment. Especially Dr. Jamilur Reza Chowdhury — who could have seen the Padma Bridge if he had been alive. ” Earlier, at the beginning of the press conference, Sheikh Hasina said about the plight of the country due to floods, "Today my heart is a little heavy. Sylhet and Sunamganj, two districts in the northeastern part of the country, have been hit by severe floods in recent times. Moulvibazar and Habiganj have also been flooded. The government has taken the utmost measures to reduce the suffering and loss of the people affected by the catastrophic flood situation in the northeastern part of the country. ” Besides, 11 districts including Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Jamalpur and Sherpur in the northern region have been inundated by the floods. The floods in Sylhet are unimaginable. The Prime Minister said that even if it is called catastrophic, it cannot be explained properly. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will announce the official inauguration of the Padma Bridge on June 25 at 10 am at a gathering at the end of Mawa. On this day, he will cross the Padma bridge by unveiling the nameplate. He will also unveil the nameplate at the other end. In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina will address a public meeting on the occasion of inauguration of Padma Bridge at Shibchar in Madaripur.