To safeguard the river navigation instead of constructing second Padma Bridge, the government is going to construct second under river tunnel on Daulatdia-Paturia route.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quaderdisclosed the information at a seminar organized by the Awami League’s sub-committee on science and technology held at the Institute of Engineers of Bangladesh (IEB) in the capital on Friday.
At the seminar, the minister said the government is planning to build a tunnel without a bridge at Daulatdia-Paturia to keep the river navigable.
At that time, the minister said about the road, road must be strengthened and their proper maintenance is also important.
Later, criticizing the BNP, the general secretary of the Awami League said, “The political stand that the BNP used to make in the name of Vision-2030 before the last election is now in the deep freeze. The BNP's counter vision will never see the light of day. Thus, the BNP has become isolated from the people for its negative politics.”
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision 2021, 2041 and 2100 she will do what needs to be done. The Prime Minister is considering all the plans.
Awami League Secretary for Science and Technology and Member Secretary of the sub-committee Engineer Abdus Sabur said that although there is a north-south connecting system in the country so far, there is no direct east-west connecting system. As a result, the pressure on the capital Dhaka has increased in our communication system.
“If anyone on a vehicle from Khulna or Barisal wants to travel to Chittagong Port, there is no direct arrangement for them to go except through Dhaka. If East-West direct communication can be established, the pressure on Dhaka-Chittagong 4-lane road will be greatly reduced,” he added.
“Our neighboring countries have built their road network across the entire coast of India. As a result, they have developed an integrated network for transporting goods from port to port. If we can establish direct communication with the sea coast, it will have a huge impact on the country's blue-economy,” he said.
IEB President Engineer Nurul Huda, BUET Professor of Civil Engineering Engineer Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, chief engineer of the bridge authority Kazi Mohammad Ferdous, additional chief engineer AKM Monir Hossain, among others, also spoke on the occasion.