Bangladesh names its longest bridge after Padma River as it opens on Jun 25

Padma Bridge will be inaugurated on Saturday, Jun 25, says Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

“I bring you good news about the Padma bridge opening,” the minister told the media on Tuesday.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangabandhu and the jewel of the nation, will inaugurate the Padma Bridge at 10 am on Jun 25. The bridge will be named after the Padma River. We will not name it after anything else. It will not be named after a member of Bangabandhu’s family.”

The mega project, one of the biggest in Bangladesh’s history, was built largely with the government’s own funds after a deal with the World Bank fell through due to unsubstantiated rumours about corruption.

The bridge will connect the southern districts of the country with the capital Dhaka. It is expected to boost Bangladesh’s GDP by 1.2%.

As the project neared its completion, many Awami League supporters have called for it to be named after Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.