The Bridges Division has drafted a detailed plan to construct a bridge over the Meghna River along the Shariatpur-Chandpur corridor that aims to boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.76 per cent over the next 30 years.
The 8.04km bridge, 31 per cent longer than the Padma Bridge, will be constructed at an estimated cost of Tk 160 billion to ensure direct road communication among the south-eastern and south-western regions. It will benefit 58.9 million residents across 29 districts.
The government will provide Tk 17 billion from the exchequer to implement the project, while around Tk 143 billion, 89.38 per cent of the cost, will be managed from foreign loans, according to the preliminary development project proposal (PDPP) sent to the planning ministry by the Bridges Division.
Planning commission officials said the Physical Infrastructure Division would arrange a review meeting on the PDPP and forward it to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) to seek foreign loans.
Loans will be sought from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Islamic Development Bank, the Economic Development Cooperation Fund, Spain's Corporate Internationalisation Fund known as FIEM, or any other development partner or country.
Officials of the Bridges Division, which is under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, said the PDPP was formulated based on a recent feasibility study.
They said the project would commence in January 2026, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), and be completed by December 2033.
Some major studies involving traffic demand forecasting, detailed engineering designs, and river training would be completed prior to commencing physical work, they added.
The project's main components include significant infrastructure development. 8.57km of approach roads will be developed, while 9.03km of bank protection work will be carried out. 769 acres of land will be acquired for the project.
The bridge will directly link the south-eastern and south-western divisions of Khulna, Barishal, and Chattogram, offering an alternative to the Padma Bridge and reducing traffic bottlenecks in Dhaka and Narayanganj, revealed the project document.
It will connect 29 districts, including Chandpur, Cumilla, Feni, Noakhali, Chattogram, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Khulna, and Barishal. It will also improve access to the key seaports in Chattogram, Payra, and Mongla.
Besides, the bridge is expected to promote regional economic growth, facilitate trade, and improve access to underdeveloped areas, enhancing livelihoods and connectivity for millions, said officials.
Dr Md Shamsul Hoque, a civil engineering professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, told The Financial Express a bridge over the Meghna River is essential to ensure road connectivity between the country's south-eastern and south-western regions.
It would help reduce traffic pressure in Dhaka and adjacent areas by helping vehicles avoid the Padma Bridge, added the transport engineering expert.
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