Inauguration of the incredible Padma Bridge, 25 June 2022.

One afternoon in October 2011. the additional chief engineer of the Directorate of Roads and Public methods (Soaz) was taking walks in the corridor of the Ministry of Communications. Shafiqul Islam. relatively excited, Shafiqul turned into contemplating becoming a member of the Padma Bridge assignment. the arena bank has already suspended investment for the venture bringing up corruption allegations.

 

Corruption cases were filed towards a few officers of the undertaking. The submit of task Director is likewise vacant. Shafiqul, who served as the top of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway expansion challenge, became only 2 months far from retirement. nonetheless, he was keen to take in this new assignment.

 

Reminiscing approximately 11 years in the past, he instructed The day by day superstar, 'I concept someone could be appointed to that position. So why now not me? I stated to myself, try it once.'

 

'If i will prove myself, my tenure may even growth,' he concept.

 

The experienced engineer desired to join the development venture of the bridge, which might play an critical function in bringing approximately a revolutionary change inside the united states of america's communique gadget and increasing alternate and commerce in the southwestern region.

 

'I went to the room of the then minister (Syed Abul Hossain) and advised about my wish. The minister were given up from his chair and hugged me. "Are you sure you want this?" he requested. I responded, "attempt." there has been, but, reason at the back of the skepticism. because of the state of affairs, no one wanted to enroll in the assignment on their personal,' stated Shafiqul.

 

This is how he commenced his adventure inside the maximum complicated projects of the u . s . as a undertaking manager approximately eleven years ago.

 

Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Padma Bridge on Saturday.because of his paintings in this mission, Shafiqul is already going to be the longest serving assignment director in Bangladesh. He has been answerable for endless demanding situations from the start to the end of this project.

Task Director (PD) Shafiqul said, 'We commenced nearly from scratch. Professor Dr. From Jamilur Reza Chowdhury and his crew to the new minister and the brand new secretary of the Ministry of Communications, I were given support from everybody. something idea I made, the higher-usaof the government agreed to it at once with none delay. and that is why we were capable of make it viable.'

 

Just like the decision to build the bridge with the united states of america's personal funding, the PD was conditioned to pick up wherein the world bank left off. They received all the tender files, designs, prequalification documents prepared via the arena financial institution.

 

'They have got served us well,' he stated.

 

He said, initially they requested the government to increase the tenure of the assignment specialists to help in procurement and technical and monetary assessment.

 

'We did not have the capacity to do a technical evaluation of a task of this length. We added them. This has boosted our self assurance in addition to local and foreign consultants. I should mention that this was our primary premise,' stated the task director.

 

He said, 'assessment system is the most difficult factor in any contract in Bangladesh. because it regularly ends with the intervention of the felony procedure. there are many examples of project contracts being stuck.'

 

'surely the team that did our evaluation turned into a amazing group. With the completion of technical and economic critiques, we crossed a first-rate hurdle and took the challenge ahead. That turned into our basis,' he brought.

 

Tender evaluation work was completed in 2014. The contract became signed in June.

 

He stated, then a problem came to the fore. No representative turned into determined until December of that yr.

 

'But, the Korean representative's crew chief changed into not qualified enough and resigned inside a month. It took some time to locate someone to update him. Robert later joined. He knew how to take care of foreign contractors nicely.'

 

After making some development, the undertaking once more hit a snag in July 2015. A massive a part of the development site became washed away by way of a horrible flood. work started out again after the flood changed into over.'

 

"subsequent comes the most critical challenge, the piling trouble," Shafiqul stated.

 

He stated, to layout the pile foundation of the bridge, the soil test of each pier web site turned into supposed to decide the type and characteristics of the soil. but due to paucity of time soil test become done at few locations for 42 piers.

 

He said whilst the very last soil take a look at changed into began before the begin of creation, the contractor couldn't find the intensity of twenty-two piling factors.

 

"They talk approximately pile layout again," he stated.

 

'most effective a handful of people inside the world can layout piles like this. because a pile of 122 meters intensity has now not been made anywhere inside the global. this is a report,' he brought.

 

To resolve this, they contacted a consulting corporation within the united kingdom. however that organisation also could not decide, they asked for more time.

 

He said, 'Flint and Neil, a uk-primarily based company, was contacted as a consultant for civil and structural engineers. Later, but, it became adopted by an international consulting company called COWI. They undertake soil test consultancy and mission layout verification.'

 

But that organisation couldn't come to any choice. but, they gave a few observations, said Engineer Shafiqul.

 

'We have been a bit disenchanted,' he stated.

 

'Then Robert got here forward. He desires to enforce every other method for soil check. The method changed into indicated within the gentle. however it has never been done earlier than inside the world Yoni,' he added.

 

He stated, 'New styles of piles had been hooked up by way of making ducts (holes) round. To growth its bearing capacity, cement grouting changed into mixed with the soil around and at the lowest of the pile.

 

'No longer everyday cement. A sort of microfine cement bought from Australia. This cement can boom power via penetrating into soil bubbles and small sand particles,' he stated.

 

'We do the test and get a high-quality end result. in view that this changed into now not a proven technique, Robert II counseled any other test. It takes 10 months to do this. We had been also getting frustrated, however we had no different choice.'

 

'The second one take a look at additionally gave effective outcomes. Then work began with the selection to vicinity 7 pores and skin grouted piles each to increase the weight sporting capacity of the 22 piers.'

 

'We failed to recognize what might have passed off if we hadn't had this engineering answer.'

 

Shafiqul stated, 'at some point of the construction of the bridge, we had to take care of the whole lot, many stuff had to be saved in mind. A railway track might sit on it, there was a possibility of an earthquake, a ship of 4000 heaps weight…'

 

'So, it could be stated to be the safest design. because many parameters are brought here. it's far earthquake resistant, impervious to 62 meters of scouring, impervious to a four,000 ton shipment ship.'

 

"All this makes the design very complicated," stated task director Shafiqul.

 

'it's far definitely a wonder of engineering.'

 

Approximately the nature of the Padma river challenges, he stated, 'some troubles related to the Padma are that the river flows one and a 1/2 lakh cubic meters of water each 2nd. There also are some surprising troubles. As we do now not understand whilst and where the scouring will occur. Our engineers should layout with the worst-case state of affairs in thoughts.'

 

Speaking about other challenges, he stated, 'There were some problems which may not seem serious now. however it took money and time to solve them. as an instance, there was no region to keep the large spans of bridges constructed in China. They needed to be kept at the banks of the river.'

"After the attack on Holy Artisan, the task suffered a chief blow as all of the jap workforce-engineers left Bangladesh."'Coronavirus Pandemic Slows task.'

 

'If the Covid situation improves, the work will accelerate. but, the task web site become hit by way of the worst flood in 10 years. many stuff such as 130-one hundred thirty five roadway slabs and plenty of railway stingers floated earlier than our eyes,'' stated the PD.

 

'They were each specific slabs. The stingers have been imported from Luxembourg. It took time.'

 

mentioning the piling challenge because the maximum hard, Shafiqul Islam said, 'It became beyond our information. Designers should conflict. It turned into a big selection. but there has been no mistake.'

 

Specialists from round 30 nations have labored in this project and gadget and substances were delivered from 10-15 countries, he said.

 

The work needed to be done amidst robust currents of Padma river, deep fog and many different problems. In other words, individuals who worked at the task were courageous sufficient, he said.

 

'The complete venture is a result of a good teamwork,' says this brave engineer.

 

'We have earned the agree with of the government. acquired complete cooperation from the Ministry and others concerned. therefore, this fulfillment is not most effective for our group, but for anybody worried.'

 

While asked approximately the time and fee of the project, Shafiqul said, 'Our assessment is that such a huge project has not been completed everywhere inside the global inside the manner we've got finished it. Even the chinese language say that they could not have built one of these bridge in much less time than the Padma Bridge.

 

Concerning the price, he stated, 'i might request newshounds to evaluate the undertaking with different infrastructure projects like the Bangabandhu Railway Bridge over the Yamuna and the Meghna and Gomti bridges over the Meghna.'

 

He said, 'except river control and other costs, the value of the principle bridge is set 12 thousand crores.'

 

About the design life of the bridge, he stated, 'Its lifespan is a hundred years if nicely maintained.'

 

While requested about his feelings after completing such a assignment, Shafiqul said, 'To be sincere, I have no special emotions. I joined the undertaking understanding the challenges and was able to meet the demanding situations.'