Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has spent 960 crore taka to build a 690-meter long Madhumati Bridge over the Madhumati River, locally known as the Kalna Bridge. The 27.1-meter wide bridge has four high-speed lanes, six lanes in total including two service lanes, and covers a distance of 4.30 kilometers of approach roads. The bridge connects Narail, Gopalganj, Khulna, Magura, Satkhira, Chuadanga, Jessore, and Jhenaidah districts, making it a part of the Asian Highway that connects the capital with the country’s largest seaport, Benapole, and the southwestern region.
According to project officials, the bridge will provide fast road connectivity to people in the southwestern region. The bridge will reduce the distance of more than 100 kilometers from Kalna to Dhaka. At least ten districts in the southwestern region will have better transportation options in less time. The bridge will also reduce travel time from the country’s largest seaport in Benapole, Jessore, to Dhaka, as the distance will be only 130 kilometers.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the foundation of the Madhumati Bridge, which connects Kashiani Upazila in Gopalganj district and Lohagara Upazila in Narail district, on January 24, 2015.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 3rd Shitalakkhya Bridge today, which has been named after the name of the war hero AKM Nasim Osman. The bridge will connect Narayanganj city with Upazila Bhandar, improve the economy, and facilitate communication among the districts of Chittagong and the southwest region through the Padma Bridge.
Project Director Shoeb Ahmed Basu said the 1.29-kilometer-long bridge would bypass Narayanganj city, making it possible to reduce travel time for vehicles traveling from the southwest region to Chittagong and vice versa and save time. The bridge will significantly boost the country’s economy since it will reduce the travel time for vehicles moving from the southwest region. He also stated that the bridge’s construction would create new opportunities for transportation and communication that would benefit the public and facilitate their movement.
According to the project director, the bridge will be more important from a local and national perspective. Currently, the transportation of vehicles from the southwest region to Dhaka uses the Postogola route, which is time-consuming and congested. The new bridge will enable vehicles to bypass Narayanganj city and travel directly to Chittagong, making it an essential route for vehicles from the southwest region. It is expected that the bridge’s construction and the new road network will provide maximum benefits to the public, connecting them with essential services and reducing the travel time for goods and services.
Shoeb Ahmed further explains that although the project was approved by several people in 2010, construction did not begin until January 28, 2018. The bridge was built at a cost of BDT 6,085.6 crore, of which BDT 263.36 crore came from the Bangladesh government’s treasury and BDT 345.20 crore came from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD). The bridge includes 38 spans – five over rivers and 33 over the eastern and western sides. The length of the bridge, including the walkway, is 22.15 meters. In addition, a toll plaza with six lanes and a 1.5-kilometer long approach road have also been constructed.
