Padma Bridge Construction

Govt must begin work in its tenure to avoid failure

Says communications minister

11 December 2011, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

It would be a failure for the government if the construction of the Padma bridge, its electoral pledge, does not begin before its tenure ends, said the newly appointed Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday. He asked the Bridge Division officials to immediately repair Kanchpur, Meghna and Gomoti bridges as the structure of those are in a poor state. Of them, Meghna bridge might collapse anytime, he added. The minister was addressing the officials during a visit to the Shetu Bhaban, a wing of his ministry, in the morning. He also directed the officials to quickly repair the cracks on the Bangabandhu Bridge. Later, Obaidul went to Sarak Bhaban for the first time since his appointment as the minister where several hundred Roads and Highways Department employees were standing with bouquets at the main entrance and his office since morning to receive him. Apparently fed up with the receptions and stream of visitors, he warned RHD staff not to be more of an Awami Leaguer than him. “I am here as a minister of the government, not as an Awami League leader. Do not mix up the party and the government. Those doing politics of my party can visit me at my house. Do politics but do not be partisan,” he told. A number of ruling Awami League loyalists and activists of RHD Sramik Union, Jatiya Sramik League, Diploma Engineers' Association, Drivers' Association and Dhaka Sarak Sramik League also gathered to greet Obaidul. At one stage, the minister told the crowd, “I did not come here to get flowers or a reception. I came here to work and to give you some instructions.” He said the government would place importance on maintenance of the existing road network to make them operational rather than construction of new roads. “We do not have enough time but we will put in extra effort to lessen people's sufferings.” He said upgrading the Dhaka-Chittagong highway into four lanes would be the top priority.