Toll rates for Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge fixed

[Luosifen]

Toll rates for Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge fixed

Toll rates for Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge fixed-

english.news.cn

DHAKA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Tolling rates for Bangladesh's largest under-construction Padma bridge have been finalized.

The Bangladeshi government Tuesday fixed the toll rates of the bridge which is almost set to open to traffic soon.

The Bridges Division under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry here issued a gazette notification in this regard Tuesday.

According to the gazette notification, toll rates will range from 100 takas to over 6,000 takas.

The huge infrastructure project, with the main bridge spanning 6.15 km in length, is undertaken by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co, Ltd (MBEC). It is the largest and most challenging infrastructure project in Bangladesh's history.

The bridge standing across the Padma River to link the northeastern and southwestern areas of Bangladesh is also a key part of an anticipated trans-Asian railway network.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the main construction work of the bridge in 2015.

The Padma multipurpose bridge is located about 40 km southwest of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

Is that price range reasonable for ordinary folks?

 

[Bilal9]

Toll rates for Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge fixed

Toll rates for Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge fixed-

english.news.cn

DHAKA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Tolling rates for Bangladesh's largest under-construction Padma bridge have been finalized.

The Bangladeshi government Tuesday fixed the toll rates of the bridge which is almost set to open to traffic soon.

The Bridges Division under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry here issued a gazette notification in this regard Tuesday.

According to the gazette notification, toll rates will range from 100 takas to over 6,000 takas.

The huge infrastructure project, with the main bridge spanning 6.15 km in length, is undertaken by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co, Ltd (MBEC). It is the largest and most challenging infrastructure project in Bangladesh's history.

The bridge standing across the Padma River to link the northeastern and southwestern areas of Bangladesh is also a key part of an anticipated trans-Asian railway network.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the main construction work of the bridge in 2015.

The Padma multipurpose bridge is located about 40 km southwest of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

Is that price range reasonable for ordinary folks?

Well the bridge toll rates are barely 20% higher than the previous way for river crossing made by car ferry. For every category of vehicle starting from two wheelers all the way to more than 4 axle-trucks.

Of course time needed to cross is a fraction of that required by ferry. I don't think people are complaining. They are actually overjoyed if you see the reactions in social media.

Congratulations are due from all Bangladeshis to all MBEC, concerned ministry, Chinese citizens and CCP leaders to expedite and execute the construction project with standards, within schedule and within budget. Thanks!

 

[BananaRepublicUK]

Well the bridge toll rates are barely 20% higher than the previous way for river crossing made by car ferry. For every category of vehicle starting from two wheelers all the way to more than 4 axle-trucks.

Of course time needed to cross is a fraction of that required by ferry. I don't think people are complaining. They are actually overjoyed if you see the reactions in social media.

Congratulations are due from all Bangladeshis to all MBEC, concerned ministry, Chinese citizens and CCP leaders to expedite and execute the construction project with standards, within schedule and within budget. Thanks!

Price needs to be set at a level that makes a profit and does not lead to congestion and overuse.

Thanks to Sylheti finance ministers - we Bangladeshis are not communists or socialists lol

Most of our infrastructure must be built and managed by the private sector with a profit motive.

BangaBandhobi is there as a mentor but she needs to keep the government small and maintain the current very low tax/revenue collection.

Pakistani and Indian governments increased taxes and see the results!

Let’s not ape them!

 

[UKBengali]

BangaBandhobi is there as a mentor but she needs to keep the government small and maintain the current very low tax/revenue collection.

Actually BD needs to look to slowly raise the government GDP revenue as the current level is too low to maintain social harmony and create an efficient society.

There is a plan to get to around 15% of government revenue to GDP by 2030 and it till probably keep rising till it gets to the 25-30% level in the 2040s.

Some areas like education and healthcare are far more efficient as a public private mix than being solely the preserve of either sector. Also BD is creating a social welfare society and even a basic "safety net" for the old and the sick will cost maybe 5% of GDP.

 

[BananaRepublicUK]

Actually BD needs to look to slowly raise the government GDP revenue as the current level is too low to maintain social harmony and create an efficient society.

There is a plan to get to around 15% of government revenue to GDP by 2030 and it till probably keep rising till it gets to the 25-30% level in the 2040s.

Some areas like education and healthcare are far more efficient as a public private mix than being solely the preserve of either sector. Also BD is creating a social welfare society and even a basic "safety net" for the old and the sick will cost maybe 5% of GDP.

25-30% revenue collection would be a disaster in a country devoid of civil discourse.

And without civil discourse you cannot have checks and balances required to regulate that level of government spending.

There is no need for government to get involved in education. Better left to our great NGOs.

Let BRAC build a polytechnic in every upazilla.

Ditto healthcare.

Look at India - humongous level of government spending - complete cockup.

Low tax is a key attraction of Bangladesh. Edge over its neighbours.

 

[UKBengali]

25-30% revenue collection would be a disaster in a country devoid of civil discourse.

And without civil discourse you cannot have checks and balances required to regulate that level of government spending.

There is no need for government to get involved in education. Better left to our great NGOs.

Let BRAC build a polytechnic in every upazilla.

Ditto healthcare.

Look at India - humongous level of government spending - complete cockup.

Low tax is a key attraction of Bangladesh. Edge over its neighbours.

I was talking about in the 2040s when BD is a semi-developed economy.

India is totally different as it is taking too much tax for such a poor country.

Hasina is implementing the plan to get up to 15% government revenue to GDP by 2030 and like I say it will peak at around 25-30% in the 2040s.

Western countries take around 50% of tax to gdp and if BD can keep it to the 25-30% level then that would provide the right balance.

 

[BananaRepublicUK]

I was talking about in the 2040s when BD is a semi-developed economy.

India is totally different as it is taking too much tax for such a poor country.

Hasina is implementing the plan to get up to 15% government revenue to GDP by 2030 and like I say it will peak at around 25-30% in the 2040s.

Western countries take around 50% of tax to gdp and if BD can keep it to the 25-30% level then that would provide the right balance.

That’s fine. As long as Bangladeshis develop civility and civil discourse.

Otherwise the money Will be frittered away due to lack of oversight.

Going by the quality of discourse on PDF - I would say it will take another 1000 years.

I witnessed a mass brawl outside a NY masque a few years back.

U.K. Bangladeshis are no better!

Utterly incapable of accepting differences and constructive criticisms.

Having said that, Bangladeshis are much better than the savages on the two borders.

 

[Luosifen]

More specifics here:

Government declares Padma Bridge toll chart

Toll for motorcycles is Tk100 and for cars Tk750

www.dhakatribune.com

According to a gazette notification issued by the Bridges Division, Tk100 has been fixed as the toll for motorcycles, Tk750 for cars and jeeps, Tk1,200 for pickup trucks, and Tk1,300 for microbuses, reports UNB.

Moreover, 31-seat buses will have to pay Tk1,400, 32-seat buses Tk2,000, large buses Tk2,400, 5-ton trucks Tk1,600, 5-8-ton trucks Tk2,100, trucks weighing over 8-11 tons Tk2,800, big trucks (up to three axles) Tk5,500, trailer trucks (four axles) Tk6,000 and trailers (having more than four axles) Tk1,500 per axle.

On the other end:

BNP: Toll rates for using Padma Bridge too high​

The commuters will have to pay a lot more than they have to spend now to go to the southern districts, says Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the toll rates set by the government for crossing the much-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge are too high.
The BNP leader made the remarks at a press conference at the party chairperson's Gulshan office.
Replying to a question, he said: "We have not fully studied this issue (toll rates). But it seems to me that the fixed rates are too high."

He said the commuters will have to pay a lot more than they have to spend now to go to the southern districts.
Fakhrul also said the toll set by the government to use the Padma Bridge is much more proportionately higher than that of crossing the Jamuna Bridge. “The toll rate is almost two-time higher than that of Jamuna Bridge.”
As his attention was drawn to ruling party leaders’ comment that BNP leaders have to use the Padma Bridge with an apology, he said they want to ignore such reckless remarks.

“Is the bridge made with their (AL leaders') ancestral property? It’s made spending the money of our people. The full money has been taken from the pockets of our people,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul also said the ruling party leaders plundered money by spending Tk30,000 crore for a project worth Tk10,000 crore. “So, all these words do not fit in their mouths.

Looks like the opposition is unhappy. How would they have handled things though?

 

[UKBengali]

More specifics here:

Government declares Padma Bridge toll chart

Toll for motorcycles is Tk100 and for cars Tk750

www.dhakatribune.com

According to a gazette notification issued by the Bridges Division, Tk100 has been fixed as the toll for motorcycles, Tk750 for cars and jeeps, Tk1,200 for pickup trucks, and Tk1,300 for microbuses, reports UNB.

Moreover, 31-seat buses will have to pay Tk1,400, 32-seat buses Tk2,000, large buses Tk2,400, 5-ton trucks Tk1,600, 5-8-ton trucks Tk2,100, trucks weighing over 8-11 tons Tk2,800, big trucks (up to three axles) Tk5,500, trailer trucks (four axles) Tk6,000 and trailers (having more than four axles) Tk1,500 per axle.

On the other end:

BNP: Toll rates for using Padma Bridge too high​

The commuters will have to pay a lot more than they have to spend now to go to the southern districts, says Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the toll rates set by the government for crossing the much-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge are too high.
The BNP leader made the remarks at a press conference at the party chairperson's Gulshan office.
Replying to a question, he said: "We have not fully studied this issue (toll rates). But it seems to me that the fixed rates are too high."

He said the commuters will have to pay a lot more than they have to spend now to go to the southern districts.
Fakhrul also said the toll set by the government to use the Padma Bridge is much more proportionately higher than that of crossing the Jamuna Bridge. “The toll rate is almost two-time higher than that of Jamuna Bridge.”
As his attention was drawn to ruling party leaders’ comment that BNP leaders have to use the Padma Bridge with an apology, he said they want to ignore such reckless remarks.

“Is the bridge made with their (AL leaders') ancestral property? It’s made spending the money of our people. The full money has been taken from the pockets of our people,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul also said the ruling party leaders plundered money by spending Tk30,000 crore for a project worth Tk10,000 crore. “So, all these words do not fit in their mouths.

Looks like the opposition is unhappy. How would they have handled things though?

What is wrong with the BNP?

How can you build such a long and complex bridge like Padma for just 10,000 crore.

We are talking about a 4 lane bridge of 6km length, a railway section, utility and telecommunication connections.

It also has some piles up to 122m deep, which is one of the highest for a bridge in the region. Additional piles were also put in due to complex structure of river bed.

Rather than making useless comments like this, why does he not praise Hasina/AL for finally linking 30 million people in SW BD to Dhaka and the rest of the country with road, rail, utility and telecommunications link?

It is a rather good value bridge if you divide its cost by the amount of people who will regularly benefit from it.

 

[Bilal9]

Looks like the opposition is unhappy. How would they have handled things though?

BNP is a useless - has-been, poser entity, composed of older people incapable of running the country, even if the US unseated Hasina and gave it to them. That is why the US does not do a "Pakistan situation" in Bangladesh.

All BNP does is criticize the govt. and Hasina.

When you ask them what they'd rather do and how it would be better, they have no answer.....

Hasina does siphon away money but also improves infra and plans development.

BNP is only good at siphoning away money.....

Sorry for being so blunt but just my two cents.

 

[BananaRepublicUK]

What is wrong with the BNP?

How can you build such a long and complex bridge like Padma for just 10,000 crore.

We are talking about a 4 lane bridge of 6km length, a railway section, utility and telecommunication connections.

It also has some piles up to 122m deep, which is one of the highest for a bridge in the region. Additional piles were also put in due to complex structure of river bed.

Rather than making useless comments like this, why does he not praise Hasina/AL for finally linking 30 million people in SW BD to Dhaka and the rest of the country with road, rail, utility and telecommunications link?

It is a rather good value bridge if you divide its cost by the amount of people who will regularly benefit from it.

What do you expect from a party led by an illiterate woman and her semi literate crooked son!???

A woman who is so grotesque she trolls a political rival by celebrating a fake birthday!

A woman who allegedly flirted with enemy military officers whilst her husband was fighting on the front line.

 

[Luosifen]

Looks like good progress is being made, road traffic should be good to go sometime this year (they said railway will probably take to next year though).

 

[Bilal9]

Looks like good progress is being made, road traffic should be good to go sometime this year (they said railway will probably take to next year though).

Yup right on all counts. Road traffic is supposed to be open in either June or July this year....inauguration date is still not fixed.