The country's largest cable-stayed bridge is going to be built in Chandpur. The feasibility study for the Chandpur-Shariatpur bridge has already been completed. South Korea and Japan have expressed interest in financing the project.

The proposed bridge will be 8.04 kilometers long. The project, to be built at a cost of about 15,957 crore taka, will be completed by 2033, according to the authorities concerned. The government expects the bridge to add 0.76 percent growth to the national economy.

The bridge, to be built in three phases, will have a 2,100-meter cable-stayed section. To maintain the navigability of the river, there are plans to use a 700-meter span in the middle and 400 and 300 meters on either side respectively. The height of the bridge from the water level will be 30 meters to ensure smooth navigation of vessels.

Citing a feasibility study, the government's Bridges Department said the bridge will be environmentally friendly and economically profitable. It will be possible to implement the project with less land acquisition and lower cost by prioritizing the opinions of domestic and foreign experts.

Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Bridges, Mohammad Abdur Rouf, said that the government's goal is to establish sustainable connectivity in the country's communication network. If the Shariatpur-Chandpur bridge is implemented, it will make a significant contribution to the national economy. The process of constructing the bridge is underway with the funding of South Korea's EDCF and Japan's Seven Platform.

If the Chandpur-Shariatpur bridge is built, the distance between the southwestern and southeastern regions will be reduced by about 70 kilometers. Direct road connectivity will be created between 32 districts of four divisions, which will bring about a radical change in communication. About 58.9 million people will directly benefit from this. With the river, sea and land ports, there will be a revolutionary change in the transportation of goods. Time and transportation costs will be reduced. Import-export activities of the port will speed up.

Aliul Hossain, executive engineer of the Chandpur Roads Division, said that the government believes that the construction of the bridge will open new possibilities for the country's trade and industry.

He also said that the feasibility study for the construction of the bridge began in 2022. The survey, considering all aspects including soil testing, river navigability, erosion, and biodiversity, yielded positive results. After that, initial preparations for the construction of the bridge began.

Currently, hundreds of vehicles are crossing the Chandpur-Shariatpur waterway every day by ferry. It is one of the most important communication routes for the people of the southwest and southeast. But because of relying on the four old ferries, vehicles have to wait long and suffer every day. Each ferry crossing takes about two hours. Crossing becomes more risky in adverse weather. During winter, ferry services are stopped several times due to dense fog. During this time, there are also disruptions in the transport of patients and goods.

Idris Mia, a truck driver from Mongla Port to Chittagong, said, "We have been waiting for this bridge for years. It takes hours to cross by ferry. Often we have to face extortion. Many times shipments are also canceled. If the bridge is built, all these sufferings will end."

Businessman Delwar Bepari said, "If the bridge is built, there will be a direct port-to-port connection, there will be no need to go around Dhaka. The distance will be reduced and time will be saved. As a result, business will speed up. Businessmen in the south and east will benefit from real development."

The businessmen also said that once the bridge is built, both the time and cost of transporting goods and traveling will be significantly reduced. This will bring new momentum to the country's trade and transportation sectors.

Improved connectivity between seaports, land ports and inland waterways will add a new dimension to import-export activities. As a complement to the project, the Roads and Highways Department has already started preparations for road widening. Land acquisition is also underway to convert the existing roads into four-lane highways, so that the bridge can be seamlessly connected to the country's main communication corridors.

The executive engineer said that according to development partners, the project will play a helpful role in the development of new economic zones and industrial areas. If mobility is created between the southwest and southeast, employment opportunities for millions of people will be created in the trade and transportation sectors.

The authorities concerned said that preparatory work is already underway. Discussions on financing are also in the final stages and feasibility studies have been completed. Once completed, the bridge will be marked as one of the most transformative infrastructure projects in the history of Bangladesh.