Bangladesh’s largest Padma bridge is now visible as its very first span has successfully been installed.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader was among others who witnessed the installation process at a site of the bridge on Saturday morning.
With the installation of the span, first among the 41 spans to be installed on the 6.15km bridge, the minister said the Padma bridge is now visible.
About 50% work of the bridge project has so far been completed, the minister said, adding that all other spans would be set up gradually.
It took about two hours for the engineers to complete the installation work of the 150m long span on piler-37 and 
piler-38.
In December 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the main works of Padma bridge project, the biggest of its kind for the country, by unveiling its foundation plaque.
When it comes into operation, the bridge will ease pressure on the country’s premier seaport in Chittagong, 242km southeast of capital Dhaka, as it will bolster the second largest Mongla seaport in Bagerhat district, 178km southwest of the capital city, experts say.
In June 2014, the Bangladeshi government awarded a China company a $1.55bn contract to build core structure of the bridge which is to be completed in four years.
The 25m-wide and 10km-long bridge will be built over the Padma river, one of the three major rivers in Bangladesh.
About 6.15km of the bridge is being built over the river while the remaining part on both banks.
The bridge will shorten the travel time between the capital and the southern city of Khulna from the current 13 hours to only about three hours.
The bridge is expected to promote trade and economy of Bangladesh, which, according to a World Bank report, has the potential to end extreme 
poverty by 2030.
Bangladesh is strategically located between China, India and Southeast Asia, making it well placed to become a trading and manufacturing hub, 
experts say.
Apart from connecting nearly 30mn people in Bangladesh’s southwest region to the rest of the country, the bridge will enhance regional trade and collaboration along the Asian highway No.1 and the Trans-Asian 
railway network.
The bridge is among the six projects that are under direct supervision of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee headed by the prime minister.