Padma Multipurpose Bridge Completion and Opening

The Padma Bridge, Bangladesh’s longest bridge to date, was recently opened and is expected to deliver massive socioeconomic benefits as it increases connectivity nationwide. The Rendel team is proud to have worked with BCL Associates and Padeco to provide Management Support Consultancy (MSC) services to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority during the construction period of the project.

The Padma Multipurpose Bridge links Dhaka to the country’s second major port Mongla, relieving its current dependence on the port of Chittagong. It also provides accessibility from Khulna, the third major city of Bangladesh and the inland port of Benapole to the east of the river. The bridge forms part of the Asian Highway Network.

The 6.15km-long steel bridge is a two-level, combined railroad river crossing that links 21 southwestern districts with the capital, Dhaka—significantly shortening travel times. It is the longest bridge in Bangladesh by both span and total length and features the deepest pile depth of any bridge in the world, at 120m. The construction of the bridge was considered especially challenging as the Padma River is one of the largest and most powerful in the world.

The project included 16 kilometres of river training works which are still ongoing.

Rendel has been involved in the project for over 30 years; the location of Padma Bridge was initially included in studies (in the 1980s) that led to the construction of the Bangabandhu (Jamuna) Bridge, which opened in 1998. Rendel, in partnership with BCL Associates (of Bangladesh) and NEDECO (of the Netherlands) conducted a Pre-Feasibility Study for the Padma Bridge from 1999 to 2000.