Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said the Padma Bridge will be renamed ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge’.
“We have made the decision on the basis of opinions and suggestions received from the government and opposition party lawmakers and the common people,” he told reporters after visiting the construction works of Padma Bridge at Maoa Ghat on Saturday.
Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana wanted the bridge to be named after the river ‘Padma’. But, I am under pressure from lawmakers and the common people to rename the bridge ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge’.”
He said: “We should show respect to our prime minister for her courageous decision which has made the bridge visible despite the World Bank’s withdrawal from the bridge project…Sheikh Hasina has proved that she is a brave daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
The minister said 59% of the overall work on the Padma Bride project has already been completed while 70% of the main bridge has been finished.
On October 13, the prime minister will inaugurate the 60% work completion of the project, including its approach road on Mawa-Bhanga stretch in Madaripur, 1.3 km river protection work, box slab on railway of Padma Bridge and six lane approach road connecting Bhanga, he said.
