Chinese firm gets cracks repair job

The government yesterday selected China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) to repair the cracks that developed inside the box girders of the Bangabandhu Bridge.

The CCCC would repair the cracks inside the box girders at a cost of Tk 109 crore. The cabinet committee on purchase approved a proposal in this regard yesterday.

A total of four companies had submitted proposals for the repair job but the CCCC was selected as it became eligible both technically and financially.

The Chinese company also repaired the cracks that had developed on the surface of the 4.8 kilometre bridge for Tk 243 crore in 2013.

According to a proposal put forward in the purchase committee meeting, the cracks inside the bridge, over the Jamuna river, need to be repaired to strengthen the superstructure of the bridge.

Experts earlier also suggested that the government repairs the cracks inside during the repair of the surface cracks.

“Although the cracks inside are very small, those should also be repaired so that the cracks do not expand in future and reduce the bridge's longevity,” said Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, who had earlier inspected the bridge and suggested for the repair.

The CCCC has all kinds of equipment, materials and establishments in the bridge area it mobilised for repairing the cracks on the surface and thus can do the job with more ease than other bidders, he said.

The durability of the country's largest bridge connecting northern region with the capital was threatened due to the development of numerous cracks both on the deck and inside the bridge.

After inspection in 2006, experts suggested an urgent repair of those to ensure the bridge's 100-year life.