We feel proud to be part of history by working on Padma Bridge project

There are many reasons to be proud as a nation that a Bangladeshi construction company contributed to the Padma Bridge project, PRAN-RFL Group’s Managing Director R.N. Paul told The Business Post’s Ibrahim Hossain Ovi and Arifur Rahman Rabbi in an exclusive interview

How did Property Development Limited get involved in the Padma Bridge construction and what kind of work did it do?

Property Development, a sister concern of PRAN-RFL Group, built Padma Bridge connecting roads, asphalted the bridge, and did road surface marking work.

It all started when we worked on the connecting road from Postagola to the Padma Bridge. The Bangladesh Army was looking for a construction company to expedite the work under its supervision. We got an offer and responded.

When we did that perfectly, the army said we could be given more projects related to other connecting roads or anything involving the bridge. We then submitted the required documents to the bridge authorities for the Padma Bridge work.

We first did some work on both sides of the bridge. Completing that was a matter of pride for us. We asphalted the bridge from one end to another. Through this, we became a partner in this glorious project.

Besides, we marked the bridge surface in white. The markings are clearly visible on the black surface. Rainbow Paints, a concern of RFL Group, did this work.

How do you feel to be a part of the prestigious structure’s construction?

The Padma Bridge was among the most challenging and sophisticated river bridge projects in the world. There are many reasons to be proud as a nation that a Bangladeshi construction company contributed to this dream project. Those who worked on the project feel proud to be a part of history.

Since the bridge’s construction is a matter of pride for the nation, we did not compromise on quality. If you drive on the Dhaka-Mawa road and cross the bridge, you can have tea in the car and the cup will not jerk.

We have also been able to prove that there was no corruption in the project, and Bangladesh has the capacity and talent to complete such a prestigious structure’s construction.

What kind of challenges did you face?

There are bituminous roads in many places in Bangladesh. But the consultancy and quality that we had to ensure in the Padma Bridge project were amazing for us.

The bridge was built in such a way that there will be no jerks when vehicles will run on it. We have maintained bituminous smoothness at such a level that if anyone is holding a cup of tea while driving on the bridge, the container will not fall.

The bridge markings were done flawlessly. We had to do a marking again if there was even a slight anomaly. Our workers did that successfully. It was a huge challenge.

Who monitored the work?

Two types of monitoring were there. One was done by a foreign consultant while the executive engineer and project director from Bangladesh did the other. That is why the quality of the work was 100 per cent.

Using the experience and skills gained from this, can you work on any project abroad?

After the Padma Bridge project, we worked on 300 Feet Road and are still doing it. This is another big project in Bangladesh.

Besides, the army gave us the work to build a five-star hotel in Cox’s Bazar. We secured the order because of our previous work quality.

We can say confidently that since we are the largest company in the country, we have the ability to do such type of work abroad.

Were the bridge authorities satisfied with the quality of construction materials used in the Padma Bridge project?

The bridge authorities were very sincere in maintaining quality, and they were very strict about it. We imported bitumen and stone used in the main structure of the bridge.

We imported these from good sources. We had to ensure quality before using each item. We used them after getting the approval of the bridge authorities. So, they cannot blame us for anything.

Do you think the experience the workers gained from this project will help them when they go abroad for work?

The Padma Bridge was a challenging project for the government, and the people kept an eye on it. But if someone thinks the quality of the work was not good and they cannot rely on Bangladeshis, trust will not be created.

You have to inform the whole world through your media that Bangladeshis have proved themselves and that is why they should be given opportunities to work on other projects.

Bangladesh dreams of becoming a developed country by 2041. I think we will not be able to finish working on the construction projects – which will be required to achieve that status – even in the next 20 years. We dream of employing workers from abroad. Why would we go abroad and work there?

How will you use the Padma Bridge experience in the Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka train project?

New rules have been made for hiring outsiders, but not yet in the form of a law. The rule is that if there is a foreign contractor, there must be a local partner as well. This is a very well-thought-out rule. I think the government should turn the rule into a law fast and also include strict conditions.

I also think no third party should be involved in road construction. If it is a bridge or other sophisticated work, that is a different matter. For sophisticated work like building airports and seaports, Bangladesh should have at least a 25 per cent joint venture partner.