The Bangamata Begum Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, built on the Kacha River at Bekutia in Pirojpur on the Barisal-Khulna Regional Highway, is an important bridge in the southern region as it plays vital role for boosting the country's economy.
On September 4, 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the much-desired "Bangamata Begum Sheikh FazilatunNesaMujib 8th Bangladesh-ChinaFriendship Bridge" through a virtual platform from her office in the capital.
The construction of the 1,493-metre long and 13.40-metre wide bridge hasmaterialized the dream of millions of people of the country's south-westernregion, establishing uninterrupted road connectivity between KhulnaDivision and Barishal Division.
Project manager of this bridge Masud Mahmud Sujan said the bridge was builtby China Rail Watch 17 Bureau Group Company Limited under the supervision ofChinese Major Bridge Reconnaissance and Design Institute Company Limited.
A 220-metre long and 55-metre wide recreation area has been developed on theriver bank at the eastern end of the bridge, a 60-metre long and 5-metre widebituminous road adjacent to the approach road at the eastern end, a 60-metrelong and 5-metre wide concrete road under the approach road and a 120-metrelong and 3.50-metre wide concrete road have been constructed at the end ofwestern part, he said.
Since its inauguration, the bridge has been playing an important role incommunication, transportation and development of the country as well asa tourist attraction.
The construction of the bridge started on November 1 in 2018. TheRoads and Highways Department constructed the bridge at a cost of Taka 894.08crore.
The Chinese government provided Taka 654.80 crore as project assistance forthe bridge while Bangladesh government shared Taka 239.80 crore, Masud MahmudSujan said.
The bridge also established the road connectivity between Pirojpur and Dhaka.It also helped to establish the direct road connectivity among Kuakata Seabeach, Payra deep sea port, Mongla sea port and the country's largest landport Benapole. Thousands of vehicles are crossing the bridge everyday bypaying toll.
Golam MawlaNakeb, vice-president of the Pirojpur Chamber of Commerce andIndustry, thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for constructing the bridgehere saying: "A new horizon has been opened in the economic development ofthe region through building the bridge."
"Due to the establishment of direct road connection with the country's secondlargest beach-- SagarkanyaKuakata-- and one of the world's largest mangrove forestthe Sundarbans, this region is becoming bustling with tourists from home andabroad and its heart is Pirojpur," he added.
There is no obstacle in the road connection between the divisional cityBarishal and the industrial city Khulna. Direct road connectivity to thecountry's second sea port Mongla and the largest land port Benapole has beenestablished with the deep sea port Payra and the people of this area havebenefited unprecedentedly in terms of communication and transportation ofgoods in the last one year.
Valiant freedom fighter M A Rabbani Feroze of the area saideconomic activities are expanding after the Padma and BangamataBridges were built in the south-western part of the country.
Direct road connectivity has been established between Sheikh HasinaCantonment of Patuakhali and Jashore Cantonment through the bridge, he added.
