Jamuna Bridge, SASEC-2 works reviewed before Eid-ul-Fitr

Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr 2026, Mohammad Abdur Rouf, secretary of the Bridge Division and executive director of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, visited the Jamuna Bridge area under the authority's jurisdiction at the instruction of Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam, MP.

He was accompanied by Altaf Hossain Sheikh, director (administration) and additional secretary; Md Bikharuddaula Chowdhury, director (P&D) and joint secretary; Kazi Md Ferdous, chief engineer; the additional project director; officials from the site office; and representatives of the project contractor.

During the visit, the Bridge Division secretary said the prime minister had directed the authorities concerned to ensure safe, comfortable and smooth Eid travel across the country. He added that the minister and state minister were monitoring preparations round the clock to make this year's Eid journey safe and hassle-free.

At Elenga, he inspected the newly built bus bay area and urged transport operators not to stop buses elsewhere on the highway, so as to prevent traffic congestion and ensure the safe boarding and alighting of passengers.

He also inspected the roundabout before the bridge toll plaza and the toll plaza itself. He advised making road markings more visible at the roundabout to help drivers choose the correct direction. He also reviewed the current status of digital and automated toll collection systems to speed up toll realisation.

At the toll plaza, he instructed officials to ensure proper lane discipline through clear signage and the installation of barriers to mark lanes, and urged drivers not to overtake.

He further advised strict monitoring so that any unexpected accident or breakdown of a large vehicle on the bridge or adjoining roads can be dealt with quickly by using the heavy wrecker brought from the Karnaphuli tunnel.

During the inspection, he also visited the stack yard area and asked officials to ensure that overloaded vehicles pass through the weigh scale properly and that the area is used in an orderly manner.

He later observed pot bearing replacement work on the Jamuna Bridge and stressed the need to complete any necessary repairs or replacement with due caution and within the shortest possible time.

The secretary also inspected the removal of railway tracks from the bridge following the opening of the Jamuna Rail Bridge. He instructed the technical team to ensure that the work helps protect the bridge's durability and improves road safety.

While inspecting the ongoing four-lane and flyover construction works under the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)-2 project, he directed officials to complete the work on schedule while maintaining quality. He said bituminous work under Package 5 was nearing completion and expressed hope that the road could be opened to traffic by the 25th day of Ramadan.

Earlier, he also inspected Abdullahpur junction, one of Dhaka's main entry points, where he reviewed traffic management and development plans. He said the renovation and modernisation of the junction remained a priority for the Bangladesh Bridge Authority in easing congestion at the capital's gateway.

At the end of the visit, he said the Jamuna Bridge and SASEC-2 project play a vital role in the country's economic growth and stressed that all project work must be completed to the highest standard. He also directed officials to ensure that ongoing construction does not cause public suffering during Eid travel.