Padma Bridge The dream of Bangladesh

With the launch of the dream Padma Bridge, it will connect 21 districts in the south of Bangladesh. Therefore, the daily vehicles on the Padma Bridge will be several times more than the Bangabandhu Bridge. But what is that number?

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted a detailed survey in 2009 on the number of vehicles crossing the Padma Bridge each year. It shows that if the Bridge is inaugurated at the beginning of 2022, then about 24,000 vehicles will pass through the bridge that year. The number will increase every year. In 2050, about 67,000 vehicles will run through the Padma Bridge.

The Bangladesh government is planning to open the Padma Bridge to traffic in December 2021. However, the relevant sources say, it may take a little more time. If it is introduced, the wait of the people of the country for almost two decades will come to an end. The Awami League government had in 1999 examined the pre-feasibility of building the Padma Bridge. Since then, people from the south and south-west have been dreaming.

According to the Bangladesh Bridge Department, on December 12, 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction of the main bridge. The first span of the Padma Bridge was laid on September 30, 2017. Today 10 december 2020 is the 41st, the last span of the bridge is to be installed on Thursday.

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ADB survey about Padma Bridge

According to the ADB survey, of the 24,000 vehicles that will run on the Padma Bridge in 2022, 8,238 will run on buses, 10,244 on trucks, and more than 5,000 on microbuses and private cars. The study further estimates that in 2025, the daily vehicles on the Bridge will increase to 27,800. In 2030 it will be 36 thousand 785. In 2040, the daily traffic will increase to 51,807.

With the launch of the Bridge, it will save at least two hours on average to travel to the capital with the southern districts. It will play an important role not only in internal but also in regional communication.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), a partner of ADB and Japan, conducted a separate study in 2009. The study was on the benefits of building the Padma Bridge. This shows that the economic impact of investment in the Padma Bridge or Economic Rate of Return (ERR) will stand at 18 to 22 percent per year. It may increase later. As a reason, the officials of the bridge department say, the survey said before the launch of Bangabandhu Bridge, the ERR will be 15 percent. Later, it rose to a maximum of 18 percent.

The south of Bangladesh is still neglected in all aspects including education and health far behind other regions. However, once the Bridge is completed, the communication system of the capital with the south will be greatly improved.

If the bridge is opened, trade and commerce will expand. There will be new factories. It will have a positive impact on the socioeconomic system of the south of Bangladesh.