Maulana Bhashani Bridge over Teesta opens to traffic
Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan officially inaugurated the bridge at the Haripur end in Gaibandha after cutting a ribbon.
The long-cherished Maulana Bhashani Bridge over River Teesta opened to traffic today (20 August), amid festive mood of the residents of Haripur in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district.
Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan officially inaugurated the bridge at the Haripur end in Gaibandha after cutting a ribbon.
The inauguration of the bridge, a long-cherished dream of residents in the Teesta river basin, especially those from the char (river island) areas of Gaibandha, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, turned the day into a celebration.
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Thousands of residents gathered on both sides of the river, their faces beaming with joy as the bridge promises relief from the constant threat of river erosion and opens up new prospects for the region.
From today, the Maulana Bhasani Bridge is open to vehicular and public movement. Thousands of men and women crossed the bridge from different areas to witness the historic moment.
With this opening, connectivity among the three northern districts—Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Gaibandha — will be significantly improved, benefiting nearly 35 lakh people.
Locals believe the bridge will play a transformative role in the socio-economic development of the region, facilitating access to healthcare, reducing travel time and easing the transportation of agricultural products to Dhaka.
The project, aimed at connecting Gaibandha and Kurigram, was approved in 2014, with the foundation stone laid on January 25 of that year.
The tender was invited in November 2018 and Chinese company China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) was awarded the contract.
Construction began in 2021 and all works were completed in July this year.
The 1,490-metre-long and 9.6-metre-wide PC girder bridge includes 31 spans and 3.5km of river rule work with a total construction cost of Tk 925 crore.
The bridge connects Haripur Ghat in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha to Chilmari Ghat in Kurigram.
The bridge will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Kurigram by approximately 135 kilometres, saving up to three to three and a half hours of travel time.
Locals said the bridge will not only benefit Gaibandha and Kurigram but also enhance Dhaka's connectivity with other Teesta-adjacent districts in northern Bangladesh.
