NZ-US firm selected to prepare detailed Padma Bridge design

---

FHM Humayan Kabir
A New Zealand-US joint venture company has been selected for preparing a detailed design of the proposed Padma bridge, the construction work of which is expected to start by December this year, an official said Thursday.
After completing the bidding process, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with the help of the government has primarily selected the technically top-ranked New Zealand-US joint venture company, Maunsel-Aecom, the official said.
"We will start talks with the primarily selected consulting firm later this month. If negotiations are successful, the company will be formally assigned to start work on the detailed design," a communications ministry official said.
The selected company will have to complete the detailed design of the bridge within 18 months from the date of work-order, which is expected to be offered by December 2008.
The ADB, key financier of the project, sought technical proposals of the project from the five international consulting firms, short-listed earlier.
The four other short-listed firms are: TY Lin International Group Ltd of the United States; Over Arup and Partners International Ltd of Hong Kong in joint venture with Schlaich Bergermann UND Partner and Consulting Engineering Services; High Point Rendel of the United Kingdom in joint venture with Royal Haskoning and BCL Associates Ltd; and Nippon KOEI Company Ltd of Japan in joint venture with Pacific Consultants International, COWI A/S, DHI, BELLER Consult and Development Design Consultants Ltd Bangladesh.
The Manila-based lender has already confirmed US$17.6 million loan to the government to prepare the detailed design of the Padma Bridge.
Some US$ 1.8 billion will be required for construction of the 5.558 kilometre Padma Bridge that will link the country's poverty-prone southwest zone with the advanced zones including capital Dhaka.
An official in the finance ministry said "We expect the main construction work of the road-cum-railway bridge, largest in the country, will start in early 2011 over the mighty river Padma aiming to complete by the financial year 2014-15."
The ADB sought "request for proposals" from the five short-listed companies on March 25, an official of the Bridge Division, the implementing agency of the proposed Padma Bridge construction project, said.
The government authorised the ADB to conduct the consultant selection process as per the lender's condition for funding around $350 million for construction of the multi-purpose bridge.
It, however, will retain its authority for negotiation and signing of the contract with the selected firm.
Out of the required total $1.8 billion cost, the World Bank, ADB and Islamic Development Bank had already assured the government to provide $950 million while the biggest bilateral donor Japan has also shown interest to partly finance the project without confirming the amount.
The government is now finding out different options for mobilising the remaining funds for the $1.8 billion mega project that will facilitate the country's economic growth considerably.