Bangabandhu Bridge witnessed over 97 million vehicle crossings in 26 years

In a staggering revelation, Bangabandhu Bridge has witnessed a mind-boggling 97,795,336 vehicles crossing its expanse since its grand inauguration. 

This architectural marvel, spanning the mighty Jamuna River, has not only connected distant northern regions but also served as a conduit for a remarkable influx of toll fees, totaling an astonishing Tk7,841,12,53,854. 

Ahsanul Kabir Pavel, executive engineer of Bangabandhu Bridge, has confirmed this information. 

Dhaka Tribune

The construction of the bridge over the Jamuna River began in 1994 to enhance connectivity between the people of the northern and western regions with the capital city of Dhaka. Spanning a length of 4.8km, the bridge connects Bhuapur in Tangail on the east bank of the Jamuna River with Sirajganj on the west bank. It was opened for traffic on June 23, 1998, and was later named Bangabandhu Bridge.

During the previous of Eid holidays, the bridge witnessed the highest number of vehicles crossing within a 24-hour period. On June 27, until 12am, a total of 55,488 vehicles crossed the bridge, resulting in toll collections amounting to Tk3,58,40,200. This marks the highest traffic and toll collection since the bridge's inauguration. 

The previous record for toll collection within 24 hours during Eid was on July 6, 2022, when Tk3,35,45,300 was collected. Additionally, on May 12, 2021, a maximum of 52,768 vehicles crossed the bridge during the Eid journey.

In a span of six days before and after Eid, a total of 197,915 vehicles, both small and large, crossed the bridge between 12pm on June 25 and 12pm on June 30. As a result, toll fees amounting to Tk14,50,30,500 have been collected.

According to authorities, the Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway is the second largest in the country and serves as the only road link between North Bengal and the capital, Dhaka. 

During Eid, the highway experiences traffic congestion due to the high volume of vehicles as people travel to their hometowns. Vehicles from approximately 23 to 24 districts pass through this road.

Ahsanul Kabir Pavel, executive engineer of Bangabandhu Bridge, stated that currently, nine booths on both sides of the bridge facilitate the movement of vehicles. Typically, more vehicles pass through during the Eid journey compared to other times, resulting in increased pressure to collect tolls on the bridge.

Tolls have been collected since the bridge's inauguration in 1998, and the Commuter System Network (CNS) currently manages toll collection for the bridge.