PADMA BRIDGE 3 firms buy bid documents

Three firms have purchased tender documents for construction of the main structure of the Padma bridge project, Communication Minister Obaidul Quader said Tuesday.

The minister revealed the information to reporters during a briefing at his office in the capital.

On June 26, the government floated tender for construction of the main bridge of the Padma bridge and asked the four pre-qualified firms to submit bids by September 9.

During the briefing, the minister also apologised to the Eid holidaymakers who had to suffer on highways for hours after hours during their return trip to Dhaka.

“Due to accidents and faulty vehicles, people had to suffer stranding in long tailbacks,” he added.

“However, from next year, special preparations would be arranged for holidaymakers to ensure their hazard-free return trip,” the minister added.

Earlier in July 2011, Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) selected the five pre-qualified bidders. The firms are: Samsung C&T Corporation of South Korea, China Major Bridge Engineering Co Ltd, Daelim-Bam-VCI (a joint venture entity of South Korea), Vinci-HCC (a joint venture of France and India) and China Communication Construction Company Ltd.

The estimated construction cost of the main bridge is Tk 11,829 crore or $1.18 billion.

After the World Bank raised graft allegations in September 2011, all work of the bridge project stopped, and in June last year, the WB cancelled its $1.2 billion financing for the project.

Then in September, following a request from the government, the global lender again got involved in the project.  But the two sides failed to agree on the process of investigation into the corruption allegations, and on January 31 this year, the government withdrew its request.

Source: The Daily Star