Mawa Ghat to be shifted to Shimulia

FE Team | Published: May 03, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

MUNSHIGANJ, May 2 (UNB): The work order for the main Padma Bridge construction would be issued in the first week of June, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader said Friday.
Talking to reporters during his visit to the bridge site in Lohajong upazila in the morning, Quader said the work order would be issued in early June though it was supposed to be done at the end of that month.
Replying to a query, the minister said the work order was likely to be given to China Major Bridge Engineering Co Ltd if the proposal submitted by the firm did not go against the national interest.
Quader, also the ruling Awami League presidium member, said the Mawa Ferry Ghat (terminal) was being shifted to Shimulia due to a hasty start of the construction work on the bridge.
However, he said that the Mawa Ghat would be relocated to Kandipara permanently, for which one year's time was needed.
The construction work on the river protection embankment at Mawa was almost complete, the minister said adding that the highway from Mawa to Babu Bazar Bridge would be upgraded to a four-lane one.
Mentioning that they were laying much emphasis on the river training work on the bridge project, Quader said four firms would submit their financial proposals on May 29for the work involving Tk 70 billion (7,000 crore).
The government has decided to construct the much-talked-about bridge over the Padma River with its own funds after the World Bank cancelled its promised fund for the project over graft allegation in consultant appointment.
Quader said the Mawa approach road work had already progressed considerably. "As we had to move the Mawa ferry terminal urgently, we've started building a terminal near Shimulia Bazar. The army has already begun laying the 2.5km road," he added.
"The Mawa terminal, however, will be permanently shifted to Kantiparha. For that we need at least a year."
The minister also said that the Mawa embankment was almost complete. The army had laid one million sandbags, and the remaining 400,000 bags would be laid within three to four days.
Four companies will submit bids for the river training programme on May 29. These companies are Sinohydro from China, Hyundai Engineering and Construction from Korea, Jan De Nul from Belgium and Van Oord of Netherlands.