A ray of hope for southern region

The much-awaited 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge at Bekutia Point of Kacha River in Pirojpur is being opened for traffic today.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually open the bridge, said Deputy Commissioner of Pirojpur Mohammad Zahedur Rahman.

Businessmen and common people of the Barishal, Jhalkathi, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Khulna and Jashore regions hope that the bridge will bring a radical change in business and quality of life.

In addition, the bridge will provide land connection to Payra seaport, Mongla seaport, and Benapole and Banglabandha land ports along with establishing uninterrupted communication between Barishal and Khulna divisions.

Mohammad Zahedur Rahman said that the bridge will be opened for traffic after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates it through a video conference.

In this regard, the project manager of the bridge, Masud Mahmud Sumon, said that on October 20, 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the bridge at Bekutia Point.

The construction was completed by China Railway Major Bridge Reconnaissance Design Institute under the contractor organisation China Railway 17th Bureau Group Company Limited.

Masud added that on August 7, in the presence of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Ministry of Finance of the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka officially signed the handover document of the bridge to the secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges of Bangladesh.

Later, with the consent of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladesh Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges fixed September 4 as the date of the inauguration of the bridge.

According to the project sources, the bridge is about 1,500 metres long with 495 metres of viaducts on both ends of the main bridge of about one kilometre. Besides, there are 1,467 metres of approach roads on both sides of the bridge.

Two more small bridges and box culverts have been constructed at the Pirojpur and Barishal ends of this bridge with nine spans and eight pillars and 1,467 metres of connection road to keep the sewage system uninterrupted.

Out of the total budget of Tk 898 crore, the Chinese government donated Tk 654 crore and Bangladesh spent the remaining Tk 244 crore. The bridge is a box girder-type and stands on 10 pillars and nine spans.

Meanwhile, locals have been eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the bridge since it will provide uninterrupted communication with various ports including the two divisions.

Mahin Howladar, a local of the area, said, “Previously, we had to wait for the Bekutia ferry which was an inconvenience in case of emergencies. The bridge will end our sufferings.”

A shopkeeper in the Chithlia area of Pirojpur Sadar’s ​​Sankarpasha Union said he has been involved in the dried fish trade for the past eight years.

“We buy dried fish from the port here and transport them to different districts of the country. It is hard to store or transport dried fish during natural disasters,” he said, adding that transportation will become easier with the inauguration of the bridge.

Some bus drivers on the Khulna-Barishal route said that ferries are often late and extend the journey by more than one hour. They added that the bridge will lessen the suffering of both the passengers and bus service workers by reducing the journey time.

Pirojpur District Fishermen’s Welfare Association President Abdur Rahman said, “This bridge will play a major role in improving the fortunes of our fishermen by expanding business opportunities. We can transport the fish faster this way and get better profits from fresher fish.”

Pirojpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and Municipality Mayor Md Habibur Rahman Malek said the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Bridge will change the living standards and business conditions of the people of this region.

“The bridge will create special benefits for education, trade, industry, medical services and socio-economic development of people in the southern region including Pirojpur,” he said.