Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said the Padma bridge will certainly be inaugurated in the last week of June.
But the date will be finalised after Prime Minister Hasina fixes the day.
As Bridges Minister, I can say that the bridge will be inaugurated in June. There is no confusion," he told the journalists while replying to a query during a press briefing at Setu Bhaban regarding delay or complexity in carrying rail part work in the riad cum rail bridge after opening up traffic.
The minister was briefing after the 111th board meeting of Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) on Wednesday which was organised to inform progress of the projects being implemented under the BBA to the board memers who are secretaries of different ministries.
Replying to another question, Quader said work on the bridge's rail part will begin in July as agreed by technical teams of BBA and Bangladesh Railway due to technical gltches in continuing two works simultaneously.
Quader who is also general secretary of the ruling party Awami League said the dream Padma Bridge's name has been proposed after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Though the proposal was shared during Parliament session, even such demand is raised by different quarters from different parts of the country, the minister said, prime minister is yet to agree to the proposal.
'But a summary on Padma Bridge inauguration with the proposed name is being sent to the Prime Minister’s Office,' he added.
He said the Padma bridge work will be completed by this month as 98 per cent work has already been done. Overall progress of the project is 93.5 per cent.
“We are taking preparation to inaugurate dream Padma Bridge last week of June. Whenevr the prime minister will give time, we will take preparation for inauguration,” he added.
smunima@yahoo.com