Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the beautiful Pigeon Bridge

News Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the much-coveted Pigeon Bridge of the people of the southern region built on the Pigeon River at Dumki Lebukhali in Patuakhali.

He inaugurated the bridge virtually from Ganobhaban on Sunday (October 24). The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the construction of 6-lane roads with separate SMVT lanes on both the Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Tamabil highways.

In her inaugural address, the Prime Minister said, "We have taken steps to build a road network across the country." He is moving forward with the goal. Coming to power in 1996, but the bridge was also our time. Bangabandhu Bridge with rail over the river Jamuna, built during the tenure of this Awami League government. So we have done as much development in this country. All the developments including Sylhet Osmani International Airport and Drishtinandan Railway Station have taken place during the tenure of Awami League government.

Highlighting the development in Barisal division, the Prime Minister said, "We have not only built roads in Barisal division, we have built cantonments there, there is a naval base, there is an air base." Training institutes and bases in the Coastguard, being power plants, we have done seed research centers in Galachipa. In this way we are developing all over Barisal.

With the inauguration of the Pigeon Bridge, another stain of ferry misery is being erased by the people of the south. Now there is no room for ferry traffic on the other side of the Padma, i.e. from Kanthalbari to Kuakata. This will enrich the economy in the south, industries will be built. Unemployment will move. Tourism industry will expand.

Ganobhaban Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Foreign Minister. This was done by senior government officials including Abdul Momen.

On the other hand, State Minister for Water Resources Colonel (retd) Zahid Farooq MP, Barisal City Mayor Sadiq Abdullah, MPs of Barisal and Patuakhali districts, Additional Secretary of Roads Department Abdullah Al Hasan Chowdhury and Chief Engineer Abdus Sabur, GOC Major General of Sheikh Hasina Sena Nibas are present at Dumki. Abul Kalam Md. Ziaur Rahman, Divisional Commissioner Saiful Hasan Badal, DIG SM Akhtaruzzaman, BMP Police Commissioner Shahabuddin Khan, Additional Chief Engineer of Road Division Barisal Zone Abu Hena. Senior government officials including Tareq Iqbal.

The bridge construction project at Lebukhali point of Patuakhali-Barisal highway was approved by ECNEC in 2012. On March 19, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the foundation stone of the Pigeon Bridge. The construction work of the bridge started on July 24, 2016. Although the work order has given 33 months for the construction of the bridge, the duration of the project has been extended in two phases till June 30, 2022. The bridge was opened to traffic ahead of schedule.

The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and APEC Fund funded 62 per cent of the 1.5 km long bridge, which was constructed at a cost of Tk 1,447.24 crore. The construction work was done by the Chinese contractor Longjian Road and Bridge Construction.

The design of the bridge construction is somewhat exceptional. The four-lane bridge is being built using extruded cable stand technology. The Shah Amanat Bridge over the Karnafuli River in Chittagong is also built with this technology. The 1,460-meter-long and 19.6-meter-wide bridge is connected on both sides by a cable. Only one pillar was used in the middle of the river. The normal flow of the river will continue. The height of the bridge from the water level is 18.30 meters above the river. The lamp will be lit with the help of solar power.

With the launch of Pigeon Bridge, there will be no need to go to Kuakata from Barisal and bear the suffering of ferries. Where it used to take 6 to 8 hours to go from Barisal to Kuakata, now it will take only 3 to 4 hours if the Pigeon Bridge is opened. If this ferry-free road communication system is introduced, the attraction of Kuakata seaport and tourist center will increase.

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