The admission tests of University of Dhaka for academic session 2021-22 will begin from June 3 with ‘Ga’ unit enrolment test. ‘Kha’ unit intake test will be held on June 4 (Saturday). The ‘Ka’ unit entry test will be held on June 10 and   ‘Gha’ unit test on June 11. The MCQ test for ‘Cha’ unit under Fine Arts faculty will be held on June 17. The decisions were taken in a deans committee meeting held at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury senate building on Wednesday. However, GPA score conditions for admission applicants have also been eased this time. The students who have science background in SSC/ equivalent and HSC/ equivalent  exams can apply for ‘Ka’ unit entry test if they have a total of minimum GPA 8 with the condition that he/she must have at least 3.50 in both SSC/HSC or equivalent exams. READ: Students block Nilkhet Intersection demanding 2nd chance in DU admission test The students of Arts and Commerce  background in  HSC or equivalent exams  can apply for ‘Kha’, ‘Ga’ and ‘Gha’ unit entry tests if they have a total of minimum GPA 7.5  with the condition that he/she must have at least 3.00 in both SSC/HSC or equivalent exams. Applicants, having science background, can apply for ‘Gha’ unit entry test only if they obtain a total of at least  GPA 8.00 with the condition that he/she secured at least 3.50 in both SSC/HSC or equivalent exams. However, the application fee for the entry test has been increased from taka 650 to Taka 1000. Applicants can apply for the entry test from April 20 to  May 11. All the exams will be taken on a total of 120 marks of which 20(10+10) marks will be counted from SSC and HSC GPA, 60 marks from MCQ exam and 40 marks from written exam, The tests will be held from 11 am to 12.30 pm on the scheduled dates. Following the practice of previous years, DU authority has decided to take the exams in divisional cities of the country to reduce the suffering of students and parents. Asked about easing the conditions of GPA for the applicants, DU Pro  VC ASM Maksud Kamal said "From our previous experiences we came to know that GPA does not necessarily prove the excellence of a student. There are lots of instances which show that low GPA achievers obtained better score than higher  GPA achievers  in the admission test exam."

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader Tuesday said the much-sought Padma Bridge will be opened to traffic by June next, helping the government greatly boost transportation and connectivity across 21 south-western districts. Ninety-eight percent of the main work on the bridge has been completed and the overall progress of the project is 90.5 percent, Obaidul Quader said. The minister said this at a press briefing after a views-exchange meeting with various officials of the Bridges Division in the capital. READ: Padma Bridge to be opened to traffic in June: Quader Bridges Division Secretary Md Manzur Hossain and other officials were present at that time. Eighty per cent work on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnafuli River in Chittagong has also been completed, the minister said, adding that the work on the project is being done with an aim to complete it by December next. Of the three phases of Dhaka Elevated Expressway,78.5 percent of the first phase from Airport to Banani has been completed and the progress of Banani Moghbazar section is 31 percent, he added. In response to a question from reporters about the judgement in the Sinha murder case, he said this has proved that the Sheikh Hasina government believes in the rule of law. About Padma Bridge The project, one of the country’s largest structures, was first approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) with an estimated cost of Tk10,161 crore in 2007.  Following irreconcilable differences with the World Bank arising out of the issue of financing in 2012, the government decided to go for it alone. The second revision of the project was approved by Ecnec on January 5, 2016 with an estimated cost of Tk 28,794 to be implemented by 2018. Without changing the project proposal, the costs were increased again to Tk 30,193 crore In June 2018. READ: Padma Bridge to open before June next year: Quader Rail Link On October 14 last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the construction work on a rail link between Dhaka and Jashore under the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link Construction Project.’ The first phase of the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link Construction Project’ will establish a rail link between Mawa and Bhanga via Janjira and Shibchar through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. This will connect Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Narail and Jashore. China Railway Group Limited, a Chinese government-nominated contractor, is implementing the project under the China G2G system. Expectations The Padma Bridge is expected to raise Bangladesh’s GDP by more than one percent and benefit about three crore people across 21 south-western districts. These districts will be connected with the growth centres through better connectivity. They can be used as economic corridors.