Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader on Saturday said his ministry has taken a decision to rename the Padma Bridge as ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge’.
The minister revealed the information while talking to the reporters after visiting the construction works of the bridge at Maoa Ghat on Saturday, reports BSS.
“We have taken the decision on renaming the bridge as ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge’ on the basis of opinions and suggestions received from the government and opposition party lawmakers and the common people,” Quader said.
Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana wanted the bridge to be named after the river ‘Padma’.
"But, I am under pressure from lawmakers and the common people to rename the bridge as ‘Sheikh Hasina Padma Bridge’,” he added.
The minister said, “We should show respect to our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her courageous lone decision which has made the bridge visible despite the World Bank’s withdrawal from the bridge project."
"Sheikh Hasina has proved that she is a brave daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” Quader said.
Fifty nine per cent of the overall work on the Padma Bride project has already been completed while 70 per cent of the main bridge has been finished, he added.