Chinese Government provides RMB 500 million grant for 9th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge Construction Project

On May 11, 2017, China’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ma Mingqiang, and Mr. Kazi Shofiqul Azam, Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD) within the Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA). Through this agreement, the Chinese Government committed RMB 500 million of grant funding for the construction of the 9th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge Construction Project. The purpose of the project is to construct a 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge (also called Bekutia Bridge or বেকুটিয়া সেতু) — over Kocha (Kacha) river — about 5 kilometers east of the city of Pirojpur. The track length of the bridge is 2.96 kilometers, including one newly built 1.493 kilometers extra-large bridge. The total length of the main bridge section closed this time is 998 meters and with a width of 13.4 meters. China Communications Highway Planning and Design Institute is the contractor responsible for project design. China Railway 17 Bureau Group Co Ltd is the contractor responsible for project implementation. China Railway Major Bridge Reconnaissance & Design Institute Co Ltd is the contractor responsible for project management and supervision. In October 2015, China’s Ministry of Commerce (the funder of the project) commissioned the China Communications Highway Planning and Design Institute to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the construction of the 9th bridge. Then, on June 30, 2018, project implementation commenced. Construction of the main structure of the bridge was completed on December 28, 2021. The project as a whole is expected to reach completion in June 2022. Upon completion, the project will connect the Khulna and Barishal divisions of Bangladesh by land transportation. The project is also expected to contribute to the economic and cultural exchange of both divisions and effectively improve the local road network structure there. The bridge will also promote better development of various industries such as agriculture, industry, aquatic fishery and tourism in southern Bangladesh, according to the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh. As of July 2022, the Boga bridge does not exist. Instead, there is a Boga Ferry port.

Additional details

1. The Chinese project title is 建孟加拉国中孟友谊八桥项目. 2. Some sources suggest that the face value of the grant that supported this project was worth RMB 528 million rather than RMB 500 million. This issue warrants further investigation. 3. It was initially proposed that the project support the 400-meter long Boga Bridge over River Lohalia on Lebukhali-Bhauphal-Dasmina-Golachipa-Amragachia road in Patuakhali district. This project would have helped connect Patuakhali Sadar, Dumki upazila with Bhauphal, Dashmina, and Golachipa upazila as well as the sea beach and Sonarchar sanctuary of Barguna district alongside the Kuakata sea beach and the 3rd Payra seaport. However, a new project site for the 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge -- over Kocha river — was selected during the project design phase.

Number of official sources

9

Number of total sources

23