The government has decided to build a new cantonment on one side of the Padma bridge project and a minimum security installation on the side that will cost Tk1,774 crore over the next four years, according to official documents.
Bangladesh Army will construct a new cantonment and a state of the art surveillance station in and around the project in two phases — before and after construction — because of the crisis of funds.
The sudden increase in land prices around the construction site also led to the decision that land acquisition would be in two phases.
Minutes of a meeting titled “Establishment of 99 Composite Brigade for Security and Technical Support of Padma Multi-purpose Bridge Project” revealed the decisions. The meeting, presided over by Planning Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal in the second week of November, saw top officials of the Bangladesh Army and Bridge Division in attendance.
Four decisions were taken at planning commission meeting of November 12 regarding the cantonment. The Planning Commission and Bangladesh Amy engineering chief will submit a report on design and estimated costs on December 2.
It was decided that a composite brigade would be established with the least number of personnel on the least possible space.
In the meeting, the Bridges Division secretary said the Padma bridge construction site was around areas with high population density. As a result the Bridges Division acquired as little land as possible.
The planning minister said the proposal to set up a cantonment was not only related to the security of the bridge alone but it was also related to the security of the country.
He said: “We have followed the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the line with our limited resources.”
Earlier, the Defence Ministry had sought Tk1,200 crore for the same cantonment but the cost has gone up since as have prices of land and construction.
It is seeking 325.52 acres — 75.75 acres in Mawa and another 249.77 acres in Janzira — for the cantonment.
The Bridges Division obtained 115.52 acres (15.75 at Mawa and 99.77 acres at Jazira) from that acquired for Padma bridge, which may also be used for setting up a new cantonment.
The Padma cantonment is supposed to be built by June 2018 and it would have barracks for more than 3,300 soldiers, homes for 560 families of soldiers, homes for 81 families of officers, an officers' mess and a mosque.
