Terming the Padma Multipurpose Bridge a symbol of courage, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming has credited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s wise leadership and determination in building the “dream bridge” despite enormous difficulties.

“It’s an outstanding achievement. This is going to be a big day (June 25) for Bangladesh, Today, nobody will ever doubt that Bangladesh can do it,” he said, adding that PM  Hasina is a “true representative” of the people who share the glory of building the bridge.

Ambassador Li said the prime minister made a particular contribution to make that decision because it requires “extreme political courage and political responsibility” to take such a tough decision (to build the bridge with its own resources).

“I doubt any average leader of any country can make such a tough decision as she did, I doubt. I really doubt,” he said while sharing his thoughts with the media on the mega project on Sunday.

Also read: Padma Bridge is a history-making project: S Korean envoy

As the formal inauguration of the bridge by the premier draws closer, ambassador Li extended his and his country’s warmest congratulations to the people and government of Bangladesh for this achievement.

Highlighting the vision of PM Hasina and a solid reality with the physical existence of the bridge, the Chinese envoy said he feels particularly proud of and connected to the bridge, not only because it is built by a Chinese company but also because they see it is a “milestone” of Bangladesh-China cooperation.

He believes that after the bridge is open to traffic, it will benefit the people of Bangladesh, contribute to the connectivity of South Asia and it will serve as an everlasting bond of brotherhood between China and Bangladesh.

“Whenever I think of the bridge, three words come to my mind: courage, determination and prosperity,” he added.

The Padma Bridge is so far the longest bridge Chinese companies have ever built outside China. “So I think accepting the challenge was also a courageous step taken by the Chinese side,” said the envoy.   

The ambassador recalled the days when the government of Bangladesh was conceiving the idea of the bridge and there were some complications regarding finance, technical viability and legitimacy of the plan.

“Some partners from abroad didn’t believe such a plan could ever materialize. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Sheikh steeled herself for all the doubts, pressures and allegations, and decided to build the bridge with Bangladesh’s own finances, which required tremendous courage and a strong sense of political responsibility,” he said, mentioning that China had full confidence in the people and the government of Bangladesh. “And we are correct.”

The ambassador justified  Hasina’s call to remain vigilant ahead of the grand opening. He said the PM asked the government entities to be cautious because “somebody might not like to see the success and historic achievement made” by the people of Bangladesh under her leadership.

Responding to a question on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its link with the bridge, he said the BRI is a very broad vision and it is not something narrow. “It’s bigger than many people imagine.”

He said the Padma Bridge is a symbol of determination and it took almost eight years to build the bridge. “So the story of the Padma Bridge is also a story of perseverance and determination.”

Ambassador Li said the unique hydrographic features of the Padma River have posed the most daunting challenge.

The sand and soft clay under the river couldn’t provide enough support to the pillars, so the steel piles had to be driven 120 meters deep into the river bed.

On average, it required 20 to 30 thousand blows to drive one pile into position. Five state-of-the-art hydraulic pile hammers, including the largest one in the world, were deployed.

The ambassador said the COVID-19 pandemic put everything on pause, yet the project managed to secure the line of logistics, provide close-loop accommodation to around 3000 engineers and workers, registered zero infection, and keep the construction work as less interrupted as possible.

He said the Padma Bridge is a symbol of prosperity and statistics show that the bridge, once open to traffic, can push the GDP growth rate of Bangladesh up to 1.5%.

It is estimated that more than 80 million people, who account for half of Bangladesh’s population, will benefit from the bridge, said the envoy.

Also read:Padma Bridge completely ring-fenced from foreign funding: MoFA

Moreover, he said, it serves as the missing link of the Trans Asian Railway and Asian Highway network. With the bridge in use, a more integrated Bangladesh will surely contribute to a more integrated and prosperous South Asia and beyond.

Since the beginning of the project, more than 50 thousand new jobs have been created. Through the project, a huge amount of local workers have become skilled laborers.

Many of them brought their whole families to the project site, making contributions in one way or another. The nearby towns have become more prosperous ones thanks to the bridge construction.

“In fact, a bridge like that won’t merely connect two pieces of land; it will also connect our two peoples by heart, leading the way to common prosperity and shared future,” said the ambassador.