Padma Bridge tender likely by early Apr

Tender for the $2.4 billion Padma Multi-purpose Bridge are likely to be invited late this month or in early April, sources in the Economic Relations Division said.
The communications ministry in cooperation with a donor group led by the World Bank almost completed chalking out bidders’ pre-qualification criteria for building the bridge that will have both road and rail ways linking the south-western region of the country with the east.
Earlier this week, WB appreciated the government, in particular the communications ministry, and Bangladesh Bridge Authority for moving expeditiously with the preparatory work for the tender, and reiterated the donors’ firm commitment for providing assistance.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain told The Daily Star on Monday that the document containing bidders’ pre-qualification criteria will be sent to WB for final clearance within this week.
“We are hoping to float the tender any time now,” he said.
The World Bank is now waiting for receiving the minutes of a meeting between the donors and the finance ministry where key decisions were taken regarding the design of the bridge, and the procurement methods for its construction.
The decisions include that the proposed Padma Bridge will comprise rail and road ways; the rail track and related viaducts, and other facilities will be built linked with a project for extending the railway to the country’s southwest region; and the contract for constructing the main bridge will be awarded through a single international competitive bidding.
There will be two stages to the bidding process, with a limited first stage based on the design prepared by design consultants.
According to the communications ministry’s proposal, the bridge will be 6.15 km long, and will be constructed by December 2013. The bridge will connect 19 districts of the south-western part of the country with the eastern part including the capital, and it will be linked with the Asian Highway.
Of the $2.4 billion financing, different development partners have agreed to co-finance about $2.2 billion, of which the WB will provide $1.2 billion, Asian Development Bank $550 million, Islamic Development Bank $130 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency $300 million, and Abudhabi Fund $31.4 million.

Courtesy of The Daily Star