The government will inaugurate 100 new bridges on November 7 with the aim of boosting the country's road network, especially in the hill tracts and haor areas.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to virtually inaugurate the newly constructed bridges, said Shaikh Walid Faiej, public relations officer of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.
“The simultaneous opening of the 100 bridges will be a historic moment for the country,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
According to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the total length of the 100 new bridges is 5.87km as most of the bridges are less than 100 meters in length. Many of the new bridges are replacements for narrow and dilapidated old Bailey bridges, which pose a serious risk of road accidents.
“Among the 100 new bridges, 45 bridges have been constructed in the Chittagong Hill Track districts. Of the 45 bridges, 41 will be opened in Khagrachhari, two in Dohazari, and one each in Rangamati and Bandarban. Meanwhile, 17 new bridges are ready to be opened in Sunamganj district, a haor-prone area of the country,” said an RHD official.
The bridges will make the journey more comfortable for tourists, as Khagrachhari is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the country because of its beautiful landscape, filled as it is with hills, forests, and waterfalls.
According to Mahmud Al-Nur Salehin, executive engineer in Khagrachhari, the number of roads in the hilly districts is very limited.
He said roads become impassable when any of the Bailey bridges collapses. He noted that this happens all too frequently.
“As such, the construction of new bridges will ensure continuous road communications between different districts and upazilas. The number of accidents will be reduced, and transportation will be faster overall,” he added.
Apart from the hill tracts and haor areas, 14 bridges are set to be opened in Barisal, two in Dhaka, six in Mymensingh, one in Comilla, five each in Gopalganj and Rajshahi, and four in Rangpur.
The RHD has spent over Tk900 crore to construct the 100 bridges across the country.
