PM opens second Dharla Bridge

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the second Dharla Bridge in Kurigram district today.

She inaugurated the bridge, named Sheikh Hasina Dharla Bridge, through a video conference from her official residence Gono Bhaban.

The 950-meter long bridge over the Dharla River has connected Fulbari upazila of Kurigram and Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat.

Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) implemented the bridge project. The construction work on the bridge started in 2014.

Some 10 lakh people of Fulbari, Nageshwari and Bhurungamari upazilas of Kurigram district will largely be benefited due to the construction of the bridge as they now can communicate with the Rangpur divisional city in a short time.

The 9.8-metre wide bridge has 19 spans and 2.919 km of approach roads.

The main bridge cost Tk 131.58 crore, while the approach roads Tk 13.09, the 3.5-km river training works Tk 43.50 crore and land acquisition Tk 2.33 crore.

The total estimated cost of the bridge project was Tk 206.85 crore.

At the launching event at Ganobhaban, Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain delivered the welcome speech, while Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman conducted it.

Local Government Division Senior Secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan made a video presentation.