Bridge over Teesta likely to open this month
The road bridge over the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila waits inauguration in the second half of this month. Photo: Star File
The road bridge over the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila is likely to be opened for public by the end of this month, much to the happiness of the people of Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts. Visiting the bridge site on Sunday morning, this correspondent saw a good number of people working relentlessly to complete the remaining portion of the bridge protection embankment. Work for construction of the 750-metre-long and 12.11-metre-wide road bridge over the Teesta River began on September 7, 2006, and it was originally scheduled to be complete by September 6, 2009, said officials of Lalmonirhat Roads and Highways Department (RHD). But the construction firms concerned failed to complete the bridge by the time and later three other deadlines in May 2010, June 2011 and December 2011 were missed. The Government of Bangladesh provided 85 percent money for the Tk 87-crore bridge project and Kuwait Government funded the rest. RHD is implementing the project while Bangladeshi construction firm Amin-Delim and Indian firm ASCO are constructing the bridge in a joint venture. "The main work of the bridge and its approach roads has been completed. Seventy percent work of the bridge protection embankment is done and the rest will be complete by July 15. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to open the bridge for public by July 24,” said RHD Executive Engineer Ashraful Islam Pramanik who is working for Teesta Road Bridge Project. The road bridge over the Teesta River will benefit about 45 lakh people of Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts as it will facilitate their easy connection with the rest of the country, Motiar Rahman, administrator of Lalmonirhat District Council, said. Business community of the two districts are very happy as the bridge will play very important role for development of trade and commerce in the area, said Sheikh Abdul Hamid, president of Lalmonirhat District Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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