The Padma Bridge is the best award for the people of country during the celebration of Mujib Barsha.
This year, we are celebrating Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary titled "Mujib Borsha" which started from 17th March 2020 to 17th March 2021.
The commemoration of "Mujib Borsha 2020-2021" is being celebrated on the occasion of the century birth anniversary of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the country to gain independence.
Amidst much enthusiasm, the nation as well as peoples of the world body including the United Nation (UNESCO) took part in the opening day ceremony to remember the ideologies of the great visionary leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who united the nation for independence of the country.
The Padma bridge is the best award for the nation during the celebration of "Mojib Borsha", which being is constructed by self-financed without any help from donor agencies including World Bank.
In 1996, Bangladesh Awami League came to power, 21 years after Bangabandhu's assassination in 1975 and formed government led by beloved leader Sheikh Hasina, who intended to construct Padma bridge.
In 1998, Awami League government led by the premier took an initiative to construct Padma Multipurpose Bridge for development of communication, trade, industry, tourism and many others sectors of the country. The life style of the people would also be improved after the completion of the long cherished dream of Padma Bridge which will connect 21 southern districts with capital.
More employment will be created as industrial belt of the country spring up.
The premier however, laid the foundation stone of Padma Bridge in the year of 2001.
But, the national election was also held in the same year, while BNP-Jamat alliance won the election and formed the government headed by Begum Khaleda Zia.
BNP-Jamat alliance led by the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia abandoned the project of Padma Bridge in 2001.
Sheikh Hasina came back on power with landslide victory in the national election in 2009 and the project of Padma Bridge was revived by herself, while the World Bank, ADB and JICA and IDA requested to provide fund for this project implementation. But, on the excuse of demanding commission, the world bank withdrew the fund suddenly by arising out of an false allegation of corruption, which disproved by an Canadian court later.
The other donors also following the World Bank and withdrew their fund on Padma bridge.
It was a clear a conspiracy against country's development hatched by World Bank and other donor agencies at home and abroad after removing many hurdles.
In July 4, 2012 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tells parliament that her government will construct the Padma Multipurpose bridge with country's own fund and her government took a bold decision to construct the bridge with self-fund from own resources, while the countrymen extended all-out support to the government.
The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the main work at the Jajira point of the largest ever dream mega project Padma Multipurpose Bridge on December 12, 2015, while she asked the whole world to see endeavors of Bangladesh in implementing the biggest self-finance project without help from donor agencies.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a civic rally on the day of inauguration at Jajira point under Shariatpur district that," We can, we would do it on our own-finance, we have must reached that day".
During her speech, the Prime Minister quoted a line from Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who said once none would be able to suppress the Bengalis who never bow to anyone.
We are such a nation of heroes, it will be proved again after completion of the bridge, she added.
The construction work of Padma Multipurpose Bridge have started formally in December 12 in 2015.
The China Major Bridge Engineering Company Ltd. is constructing country's longest bridge having a wide of 18.18 meters with an implemented cost of Tk 301.9 billion ( US$ 3.6 billion).
The government in an ECNEC meeting on May 2016 also approved Padma Bridge rail link project.
The entire structure of the 6.15 Km long Padma Multipurpose Bridge has now become visible with the installation of last span (1-41 span) on December 10 in 2020. The main work of the bridge has almost completed.
Now, there question among the people whether BNP-Jamat and others who raised a different allegations in different meeting and seminars in different time over Padma Bridge, are frustrated and ashamed as the construction of the bridge has almost completed.
The firm determination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made the bridge a reality despite various conspiracies, the long cherished dream of Padma Multipurpose Bridge will be true, which will be open for traffic on June in 2022.
All this success on Padma Multipurpose Bridge construction by own fund came to light due to only one person's bold decision and she is none other than Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Now nation is waiting for the inauguration of the bridge by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The writer is Vice-president of Netrakona Press Club in Netrakona.
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