The Padma Bridge is no longer a dream, it is real. The bridge of one-time dreams now stands across the horizon in sight. Long rows of pillars can be seen from the banks of the Padma. One by one, steel structures (spans) are being placed on it. The 25th span was installed on Friday. Altogether about four kilometers are visible.

The rest will sit on the pillars and 16 spans. This work will be completed in July. From then on, we will start waiting to touch the bridge. If all goes well, the dream monument will be inaugurated in June 2021, the year of the golden jubilee of independence. The competition to surpass the dream will start from the inauguration. Ignoring the time, buses, trucks, trains will all run across the bridge. The launch of the bridge will revolutionize the communication system of the capital with the south-western part of the country. This will increase the gross domestic product (GDP) from 1 to 1.5 percent. Poverty rate will be reduced by 74 percent. Heavy industrial factories will be set up anew. And this is what Bangladesh is waiting for.

The Padma Bridge is not just a bridge of rod, cement and stone, it is associated with the emotions of 160 million people. The indomitable desire to overcome the challenge and the vast potential of the country's economy in the future. After the World Bank's decision to finance in 2012 was overturned, three other international organizations - the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Co-operation Agency and the Islamic Development Bank - withdrew.

In this, a cloud of black clouds appeared in the sky of Padma. At that time the cost of the project was about 21 thousand crore rupees. Which is 50 percent of the total annual development program of that year. As a result, the dream of implementing the Padma Bridge is out of reach. The next history is known to all. Ignoring all obstacles, the Awami League government finally took up the adventurous challenge of constructing the Padma Bridge with its own funds.

This is how the black clouds disappear, the sun shines by illuminating the horizon. The seeds of the dream began to be sown through the work of building the bridge. And that dream is coming true today. Just waiting for the time.

Economists say that if the bridge is implemented, it will directly benefit the economy. Taufiqul Islam Khan, a senior research fellow at the Center for Policy Dialogue, a private research institute, told Jugantar that there are three direct benefits to the economy through the Padma Bridge.

First, there will be direct communication with the south-west of the country. This will expand trade and commerce in the region. Investment will increase. Second, the farmer will directly benefit. The perishable products produced by them can be sent directly to other places of the country including Dhaka. This will get a good price for the product. Thirdly, this bridge will expand the trade and commerce of the country as a whole. In particular, the port of Mongla can be used to increase trade with India.

Of the 41 spans of the project, 25 have been completed by Friday. It is about four km. The bridge is visible. The construction of the remaining four of the 42 pillars of the bridge will be completed by April. The work of installing the remaining span will be completed within three months. As of February 18, the construction of the main bridge has progressed by 7 percent.

Overall the progress of the project is 7 percent. Of these, 8 per cent are river management works, 100 per cent are connecting roads and service areas and 60 per cent are land acquisition, rehabilitation and environmental development works. With the progress of construction of this bridge, the fate of the local victims is returning. So far, an additional Tk 6 crore 7 lakh has been provided to the victims out of the land price. 2,793 plots have been allotted. In addition, various steps have been taken to provide employment to the affected family members, including training and construction of schools for education.

In this regard, Secretary of the Bridges Department Mohammad Belayet Hossain told Jugantar that the Padma Bridge is not just a bridge, it is the realization of our dream. This bridge will have a positive impact on our communication system and economy. People in the south will get a fair price for their products. In the meantime, new industries are being set up in these districts. They will create employment opportunities. All in all, it will take Bangladesh to a unique height.

Madaripur Shibchar Upazila Executive Officer. Asaduzzaman said the fate of the people in the south is being decided because of the Padma Bridge. The quality of life of the people around the bridge is also changing. Large projects including world class Olympic Village, Benaresi Tantapalli, Icon Tower at the initiative of RAJUK, the only National Judicial Academy in the country are being constructed here. Along with government initiatives, local people are also building big commercial enterprises. Nur Islam Madbar, a resident of Shibchar upazila in Madaripur, is one of the victims of the Padma Bridge landslide. Regarding the construction of the bridge, he said, I have lost a lot of land including ancestral vita and agricultural land. However, I got a plot in the housing project. But my family is happy with the work of Padma Bridge. We think we can share in the benefits that this bridge will bring to the whole country.

Progress in Padma Bridge Project: It is learned that the Padma Bridge is being constructed at a cost of Taka 30,193.38 crore with the government's own funds. Till January, Tk 21,484 crore has been spent on the implementation of the project. The rate of financial progress is 61.18 percent.

And the actual progress is more than 6 percent. The actual progress in the construction of the main bridge as the main part of the project has been 6 percent. The rest of the work on the bridge is scheduled to be completed by June. However, if the outbreak of coronavirus in China is prolonged, its impact on the Padma Bridge is feared by the people involved in the project.

River management works far behind the main bridge. Although the work is scheduled to be completed by June 30, the desired progress has not been made. As of February 18, the actual progress of river management work has been 8 percent. Land acquisition and rehabilitation activities are underway. So far, the financial progress is about 80 percent. Sinohydro Corporation is working on river management. The construction of the road connecting the bridge and the service areas has been completed long ago.

It is learned that 41 spans and 42 pillars will sit on the 6.15 km long bridge. The 25th span is sitting on Friday. So far 38 spans have arrived in Mawa. Two spans are on the way and two are under construction. All are scheduled to arrive in March and set up in July. And out of 42 pillars, work of 36 pillars has been completed. The work of the remaining 4 will be completed in April.

According to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), 2,060 vehicles crossed the Padma River on the Shimulia-Kanthalbari route on Thursday. On the same day, 5,958 vehicles crossed Paturia-Daulatdia.

Officials of the company said that after the launch, at least 6,000 to 8,000 vehicles will cross the Padma Bridge daily. Because, the Padma Bridge will be the destination of most of the vehicles to avoid the embarrassment of the ferry wharf as it is a broken expressway from Dhaka. This will save both time and labor of the cars.

The fate of the victims is also returning: According to project sources, 18,326 people have been affected due to the construction of Padma Bridge in Louhjong and Srinagar of Munshiganj, Shibchar of Madaripur and Jajira Upazila of Shariatpur. And 2,542 hectares of land has been acquired in these areas. Tk 2,358 crore has been given to the land owners for the acquisition of these lands.

Besides, Tk 6 crore 7 lakh has been given as additional assistance. Besides, 2,793 plots have been allotted till January 31 and 2,602 plots have been handed over. Besides, four primary schools, markets, mosques and other facilities have been constructed for them. 1,057 people of the affected families have been trained in computer, cattle and goat rearing and poultry rearing.

Separate projects for the protection of biodiversity: Due to the construction of installations in the Padma Bridge project area, the loss of animals and plants living in aquatic and wetlands in an area of ​​1,300 acres is feared. For this reason, a project is underway at a cost of Tk 8 crore 63 lakh 72 thousand.

About 1 lakh 56 thousand trees have been planted in the project area. Besides, a museum is being set up in the Padma Bridge area at a cost of Tk 6 crore 21 lakh 47 thousand to preserve the history of biodiversity. Under this project, public awareness activities on environment and wildlife conservation have also been taken up