The government has undertaken a project to build a bridge over the Panguchi river to improve the uninterrupted road network and accelerate economic development by developing more tourism industry in the Sundarbans area.
A 1,400-meter (about 1.5-kilometers) bridge will be built near the Sundarbans in the country with a loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), owned by the Kuwaiti government.
The bridge will be built over the Panguchi river in Morrelganj upazila of Bagerhat.
It will be constructed under the project titled “Construction of Panguchi Bridge on 17th km of Signboard-Morrelganj-Rayenda-Sharankhola-Bogi road”.
The project involving Tk 996.76 crore has been sent to the Ministry of Planning for approval at the meeting of Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), a planning commission official said. “The total cost of the project is Tk 996.76 crore. Among them, Tk 590.03 crore will be borne from the government’s fund, while the remaining Tk 406.72 crore from a foreign loan,” he said.
The project will be implemented by the Department of Roads and Highways (RHD) at the initiative of the Department of Road Transport and Highways between December this year and January 2025, he added.
The project will wait placing on Ecnec meeting for approval, he mentioned
Sanat Kumar Saha, sub-divisional engineer of Bagerhat RHD, said, “The bridge will be constructed in the area adjacent to the Sundarbans. The Sundarbans is 52 km away from the signboard. The Panguchi river is the 17th kilometer.”
He mentioned if there is a bridge, it will be very convenient to go to the Sundarbans.
Now it takes time to cross the ferry, he added.
“The crops that are grown in the area, there is a fence, the fish in the fence, other agricultural items take time to come and go. If there is a bridge, it will be possible to move fast,” he mentioned.
There will be a tourism center in Sharankhola, he said adding that, Sharankhola is probably one of the few new tourist destinations that the government will set up.
The bridge will also play a role in the development of tourism, he mentioned.
The objective of the project is to improve the uninterrupted road network at the upazila level in the southern part of the country through construction of Panguchi Bridge and to establish uninterrupted road connectivity between Bagerhat, Morelganj and Sharankhola upazilas as well as the capital and Mongla port.
It will also accelerate economic development and the development of the tourism industry in the Sundarbans.
The RHD has verified the feasibility of the project. According to the feasibility study, the bridge will be financially viable by taking toll.
Besides, economic development and development of tourism industry in the area adjacent to the Sundarbans will enable the fish and agricultural products produced in that area to reach other parts of the country including the capital in a short time and at low cost and the development of socio-economic system will be accelerated.
In this context, financial and economic analysis has recommended the project as profitable.
