Padma Bridge: Bangladesh to beef up surveillance before lifting motorcycle ban

The government will set up speed guns and CCTV surveillance before deciding whether to allow motorcycles to cross the Padma Bridge, according to State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.

“The decision is not being put off indefinitely,” he told the media at a shipping ministry event on Tuesday. “For now, they are barred, but once the speed guns and CCTV cameras are set up, a decision will be made.”

Asked whether he saw any political connection to an incident in which a man unscrewed nuts from the bridge’s railings, he said: “There is a political leader who has been in jail for embezzling money meant for orphans. She said that no one should use the Padma Bridge because it was constructed in a patchwork manner. These kinds of things happen when their party is a patchwork itself.”

“Those who follow her will, of course, believe such things.”

To launch owners who are worried about demand for their river routes, the state minister said that three days was too short a time to start worrying.

Khalid said he had hope for the industry as the government was dredging 10,000 km of river routes.

“We have goals, we have a purpose. The nation is proceeding according to the prime minister’s plans.”

“Many are considering investing in more luxury launches so I believe launch travel will continue to get more and more comfortable for passengers.”