The Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) is being officially opened today, June 25. It will be opened for normal traffic movement the next day, June 26. The six kilometre long bridge would be the second biggest in the world and an engineering marvel. Notably, almost the entire works on this gigantic infrastructure including approach roads and other supports have been already completed in a short period of time that amply proves the determination of this government’s planners to push ahead with this flagship project.
The PMB is the biggest infrastructure ever that has been taken up in Bangladesh’s history. Out of the projected over 30,000 crore Taka estimated as necessary for the construction of the project, Bangladesh provided nearly the entire sum. In fact, it is no overstatement to say that the bridge is being constructed mainly by spending from the country’s own resources. This development is also an indicator of the current state of the Bangladesh economy that enables it to finance such a large project without external assistance.
When negotiations between Bangladesh and the World Bank (WB) ceased in 2013 over financing the PMB and pessimists and even some experts expressed the view that construction of the bridge by Bangladesh all by itself was an impossibility, our Prime Minister (PM) subsequently declared that Bangladesh would build the bridge come what may and by its own efforts and resources. This pledges has now reached fulfilment no matter that WB by its highly fictitious objections earlier had delayed the vital project by about two years.
There are few visionary leaders in the world today who can be credited for their lifetime ahievements in changing for the better the conditions in their country. Joseph Stalin who won the war against Nazis and made his country into a socialist superpower, was one of them. Closer to home in Malaysia. Dr Mahathir Mohammad with his long innings in power presided over the transformation of his country from a poor developing country into a semi developed one.
Like Dr Mahathir, our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina continues to be lavished with praises in the international media and international organizations. She is seen as a great visionary leader who, within two decades, rubbed out the earlier image of her country as an international basket case to have become an Asian tiger economy and to be yet stronger in all respects in the years ahead.
The PMB will likely give a major impetus to the all round economic development process of the country. Road travel between 21 southern and western districts with the rest of the country including Dhaka will much ease or be facilitated. In these hitherto underdeveloped districts, economic enterprises of different types will become feasible.
As a matter of fact, potential entrepreneurs are sensed to be in a scramble to buy lands in these districts with the aim of setting up various industries there. Thus, the forecasts are that even in the short term, the country’s economic growth will increase by at least 1.23 per cent as soon as the bridge becomes usable. Railway, power and gas lines will also cross into the southern and western regions by using the bridge. Reportedly, PMB will also become a part of the Asian Highway’s AAE-1 route. Thus, the PMB’s economic and developmental prospects are immense.
Padma Bridge’s full potentials are not immediately reflected today but planners are already anticipating the huge economic boom which its coming into existence is signalling. The 23 districts or a little over one third of the country will very likely bloom into new zones of industrialization and hence ones of development and prosperity.
Centring on Barisal the entire south eastern Bangladesh would be sooner than later humming with all sorts of enterprises. Padma Bridge has solved completely the communication problems of these 23 districts. With gas and power available too, more than one third of the hitherto backward areas of the country would be pulsating with myriad of economic activities set in motion by a bridge that has crossed a mighty river from end to end. Not only industrialization and development, the so far neglected Kuakata tourist zone will develop into a vibrant hub of local and international tourism with all sorts of associated economic spin offs. The new Paira port and Rampal power plant will be further stimuluses in the economic growth to be experienced by this region.
We, on the part of this paper, wish to thank the PM for her gallant leadership in taking forward the PMB overcoming all odds.