Cracks in Bangabandhu Bridge
Proposal for appointing Chinese firm sent back
The Cabinet committee on purchase on Thursday sent back a proposal for appointing a Chinese firm to mend the cracks in the Bangabandhu Bridge, that appeared in 2006, for seeking experts’ opinions on the best way to repair the bridge.
Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury will lead the team as he, along with other experts, detected cracks in the multipurpose bridge that was opened for traffic in 1998 to establish a direct road link between the capital and the country’s northern region.
Finance minister AMA Muhith chaired the meeting that approved four purchase deals, including procurement of 1,30,000 tonnes of rice at a cost of Tk 373 crore and import of 9,133 tonnes of paper for Tk 78.2 crore.
The communications ministry proposed to appoint China Road & Bridge Corporation which was the lowest bidder among three contestants, asking for Tk 165.77 crore for repairing the cracks in the vitally important bridge over Jamuna River.
Two Japanese construction firms — World Kaihatsu Kogyo Co Ltd and the Nippon Road Co Ltd — were the other contestants in the third international tender that was called early this year to repair the damage.
The communications ministry invited international tenders twice in December 2008 and June 2009, but no international companies showed any interest. The cracks in the country’s largest bridge grew wider and threatened its lifespan and load-carrying capacity.
The purchase committee, however, approved another proposal of the communications ministry by appointing a joint-venture of MCCC, SEL and UDC for toll collection on the Bangabandhu Bridge. The companies were given the contract for Tk 53.91 crore.
