Deal inked to build service area

Bridges Division of the communications ministry yesterday inked a Tk 209 crore deal with local construction firm Abdul Monem for construction of a service area for the Padma bridge project.
Project Director of the bridge Shafiqul Islam and Director (construction) of Abdul Monem Ltd Abid Habib signed the agreement at Setu Bhaban in the capital’s Mohakhali.
Under the two-and-half-years deal, the company will construct a motel, resort reception building, service office, duplex house, health centre, electric sub-station, fire detection and fire fighting system in the service area at the Janjira end of Padma project.
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader, who was attended the signing ceremony, said tenders for the main bridge component of the project will be submitted by December 19.
On June 26 this year, the government floated tender for construction of the main bridge and asked the pre-qualified firms to submit bids by November 4. Later, it was extended up to December 19.
The estimated construction cost of the main bridge is Tk 11,829 crore.
The government has decided to construct the bridge with its own fund as the World Bank and three other international donors cancelled financing for it in June last year for alleged corruption in the project. This has delayed construction of the 6.15 kilometers road-rail bridge.