Tk 6,434 crore has been collected as toll so far from Bangabandhu Bridge since its inauguration in 1998, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told the parliament today.

The loan taken from the development partners -- for the bridge -- will be repaid by 2034, he also while replying to a query from Awami League MP Habibur Rahman from Bogura-5.

In a scripted answer, the minister also said Tk 4,104.21 crore had been spent due to operational, maintenance and payment of DSL of the bridge at that time.

Earlier around 11:00am, the sitting of the ongoing budget session began and Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, in the chair, tabled the question-answer session scheduled for the ministers.

In reply to a question from Jatiya Party MP Shameem Haider Patwari from Gaibandha-1, Quader said the construction cost of Bangabandhu Bridge was Tk 3,745.60 crore.

"The money collected [as toll from Bangabandhu Bridge] was used to repay the loans of the development partners along with the maintenance cost of the bridge," Quader said.

"However, as the foreign exchange rate has become more than double, according to the repayment schedule, the loans taken from the development partners will be cleared by 2034 through the toll collected from the bridge," he added.