FHM Humayan Kabir

The government has moved to construct a second bridge over the river Padma by June 2017 although funding for the US$2.4 billion first bridge is still uncertain, officials said Thursday.

The planning ministry has recently given a green signal to a project proposal on the second bridge that will cost Tk131.21 billion ($1.89 billion) and be constructed at Paturia-Goalunda point.

A finance ministry official told the FE the Economic Relations Division (ERD) has been entrusted with the responsibility to mobilise fund for the project from donors, including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan and Chinese governments.

The move comes as the government has unveiled plans to construct the first bridge over the mighty river Padma at Mawa-Janjira point from the middle of next year.

The proposed 6.15 kilometres road-cum-railway bridge would cost the some $2.4 billion and is expected to be completed by 2013.

The government has yet to mobilise entire fund for the bridge, set to be the largest infrastructure project in the country. Donors have so far committed $1.24 billion, with $460 million coming from the World Bank.

But there is a shortfall of around one billion dollars, an official said, adding the government might eventually have to muster resources from domestic sources, putting extra pressure on the country's fiscal budget and social safety expenditure.

Officials said they are finding it hard to sell the idea of the second Padma bridge to the donors.

"The move for the second Padma Bridge has surprised many because it came at a time when we are still not sure whether we can mobilise enough fund for the first Padma bridge," the finance ministry official said.

"A local chief of a donor agency, which has assured funding for the first Padma bridge, asked me whether they should arrange money for the first bridge or the second one. I was embarrassed," he said, requesting anonymity.

A communications ministry official said the Awami League government has moved to build the second Padma bridge as the project was one its top election pledges.

The official said the ministry would finalise project details of the second bridge by end of this year and the construction work may begin during the tenure of the government.

"According to our primary project layout we have planned to construct the project by June 2017," he said adding it would boost the economy of the southwestern districts where incidence of poverty is more than the national average.

Some 40 per cent of the country's 144 million people live below poverty line, according to the government estimates, with the rates as high as 50 per cent in some districts in south and southwestern districts.