Padma Bridge river training deal signed with Chinese co

Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA) and Sinohydro Corporation Ltd of China signed Monday an agreement on 14-kilometre river training for building the Padma Multipurpose Bridge after the lapse of a long time in dilemmas.
The deal-signing ceremony took place two months after the cabinet committee on government purchases approved the firm's financial offer of Tk 87.07 billion on September 10.
Project director M Shafiqul Islam and Lyu Liushan of the Sinohydro Corporation signed the agreement at a ceremony held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader and senior officials of BBA and Roads and Highways Division (RHD) were present on the occasion.
Sinohydro Corporation offered Tk 40 billion less than the offer of the second-lowest bidder - Hyundai Engineering and Construction of South Korea-for the river-training works.
Hyundai Engineering and Jan De Nul NV of Belgium offered Tk 121 billion and Tk 160 billion respectively.
With the signing of the deal, the BBA has completed all the tender processes for the government's most priority project-building bridge across the mighty river Padma to connect country's southwest with the capital.
The BBA had earlier completed the selection of companies for the project's other works: main bridge construction, two approach-road construction and service- area development.
Appointment of the much-talked-about construction-supervision consultant (CSC) was also completed after the authority had signed an agreement with a Korean company to work as CSC in construction of the 6.15-kilometre Padma Bridge and the river-training work on November 3.
Although there has been controversy over selection of the Chinese company for the important project despite its poor performance in the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project, project consultants and the technical evaluation committee recommended the company for its lowest bid.
The BBA also sought legal advice from a private firm to avoid shouldering any blame if it arises later.
The river-training programme is to carry out 14-kilometre riverbank-protection works at both Mawa and Janjira ends of the bridge for ensuring river flow below the proposed bridge for at least 100 years.