Three major bridges — Kanchpur, Meghna and Gumti — on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway may collapse anytime, said Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday.
“The soil around the bases of the bridges have almost been washed away due to overloading, sand extraction and movement of overloaded cargo vessels on the water, he told The Daily Star after an inter-ministerial meeting at the conference room of his ministry.
Quader said he already talked to the authorities concerned about taking measures against overloaded cargoes that pass by the bridges on the respective rivers.
“We have to save the bridges otherwise it will be a disaster for the whole nation,” he said adding that no negligence in works of authorities concerned would be tolerated.
Weighing machines would be set up at the entrances of Meghna Bridge on December 17, the minister said, adding that ferry service on Meghna River would be provided for overloaded vehicles.
These machines would be gradually set up on other important bridges including Kanchpur and Gumti, he said.
Meanwhile, authorities of Bangabandhu Bridge have started weighing trucks and carriers that seem to be overloaded.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the communications minister said repair works of the three risky bridges would start soon.
On construction of much-talked-about Padma Bridge, Quader, also a member of the ruling Awami League, said the construction of the bridge would start within the tenure of the present government.
The communications minister said within a day or two he would physically visit Bangabandhu Bridge and other bridges to see their conditions and to oversee the use of weighhing machines.
-With The Daily Star input
