Mawlana Bhashani bridge finally inaugurated
- Update Time : Wednesday, 20 August, 2025, 05:03 pm
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Online Desk : After years of anticipation, the much-awaited Mawlana Bhashani Bridge has been officially inaugurated, significantly reducing the distance between the capital Dhaka and Gaibandha by at least 100 kilometers. Residents on both sides of the Teesta River are celebrating the completion of the bridge. On Wednesday (August 20) at 12:45 PM, the bridge was inaugurated by Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, advisor to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives of the interim government, alongside Saudi guests.Thousands of excited locals gathered at the inauguration site, including near the unveiling stage, filling the area with joy and energy. For the people living along the Teesta River, the bridge marks a new era, replacing their long dependence on river transport with a wide, beautifully designed structure.
The bridge, considered a dream project, connects Panchpir Bazar of Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha with the Chilmarir upazila headquarters in Kurigram. It spans 1,490 meters over the Teesta River. The bridge was constructed at a cost of Tk 925 crore, funded by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). With a width of 9.60 meters, the bridge features two lanes and a total of 31 spans. It is a pre-stressed concrete girder bridge.
The new connection between Sundarganj of Gaibandha and Chilmarir of Kurigram is expected to improve transportation, enabling faster and more cost-effective movement of industrial and agricultural goods. It also opens doors for the establishment of small and medium enterprises in the region. Additionally, the enhanced road network will help expand and improve education opportunities, create both short- and long-term employment for underprivileged communities, and contribute to local socio-economic development and national economic growth.
The bridge also creates potential for tourism and forms a new transport corridor that reduces the distance between Bhurungamari land port and major destinations including Dhaka and other southern regions by 40 to 60 kilometers. Uzzal Chowdhury, executive engineer of Gaibandha’s LGED, said that all preparations for the inauguration had been completed in advance. The bridge was officially opened to the public right after the inauguration. Though construction of the bridge was launched on January 26, 2014, it faced multiple delays and full-scale work did not commence until February 2021.
As part of the project, 86 kilometers of connecting roads have been built on both sides of the bridge, along with permanent river training over a 3.5-kilometer stretch. Nearly 133 acres of land were acquired for the project. While some minor works remain on the north side of the bridge—particularly on the arch bridge and road surfacing—the main structure is now complete and fully operational.
