Communications Minister Obaidul Quader said Chinese construction company China Major Bridge is set to get the contract for constructing the Padma Bridge, if their proposal does not go against the interest of Bangladesh.
He made the statement while talking to journalists at the Mawa Padma Bridge Rest House in Munshiganj, yesterday.
During the talk, the minister said: “China Major Bridge is set to get the contact, however there are still a lot of things to be considered. If the proposal of the China Major Bridge does not go against the national interest then they are going to get the work.”
Saying that the main construction work of the Padma Bridge will begin from the first week of June instead of the last week of the month as scheduled earlier, he further added that the ruling of the river has been given more importance in this project and four companies are expected to submit their monetary proposals on May 29.
The companies are- China Sino Hidro, Hondai Engineering and Construction Company of Korea, Jandinol of Belgium and Van Od of Netherlands.
Obaidul said: “Lot of work needs to be done on the Mawa approach road and there is an urgent need to start the work in June. The replacement work of the Mawa Ghat from Mawa to the Shimulia Bazar has begun on an emergency basis.”
“Bangladesh Army has already started work on 2.5kilometres of road. Mawa Ghat will be replaced in Kantipara permanently, however, the process will take one year. To start the [construction] work of the Padma Bridge immediately, the ghat has been replaced temporarily,” the minister added.
Obaidul said the work on the river embankment has almost been completed.
Besides this, he said the highway from Mawa to Babubazar Bridge will be extended to four lanes.