Building Padma Bridge with own fund was biggest challenge: Prof Bosunia

There were lots of challenges — from river training to engineering — in constructing the Padma Bridge, but the biggest challenge was the decision to build it with its own finance.

This was told by Prof M Shamim Z Bosunia, chairman of the panel of experts of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Authority, on Thursday.

Prof Bosunia made the comments while addressing a roundtable discussion on the “Padma Bridge and its economic impact” organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB).

“Of all challenges, the biggest one was with making the bridge with our own finances as we had to spend around 70 percent in foreign currency,” he said.

He said after the completion of the construction of this mega project, Bangladesh’s image in the world will be brightened and accelerate the nation’s economic growth.

Prof Bosunia said a total of 4,000 engineers worked on the project, of them 500 were from Bangladesh.

“Local engineers’ capacity has increased and they are now getting job offers from foreign countries,” he said.

Past president of ICAB Md. Humayun Kabir moderated the roundtable and Sabbir Ahmed made a keynote paper on the economic impact of the Padma Bridge on the southern region and Bangladesh as well.

Md. Shahadat Hossain, president of ICAB delivered the address of welcome at the discussion.