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Sheikh Hasina’s ‘finest hour’
FROM PAGE 1
There are facts and there are symbols in the life of a nation. While facts dominate most of the time, symbols sometimes acquire larger-than-life significance. Such symbols strengthen our self-confidence and prove to the world that we are ready to take on newer challenges, overcome formidable obstacles and be an active partner in humanity’s collective efforts to build a better future for all.
The Padma Bridge is such a symbol for Bangladesh. It is a symbol of pride and of self-confidence, of purpose and resoluteness, of decision making and implementation, of vision and transforming that into a reality. With its completion we as a nation and Bangladesh as a country announce to the world that it was not a fortuitous convergence of some positive circumstances but the fruits of our sheer ability that is taking us forward from an underdeveloped to a developing country.
Many countries make their own bridges and with their own resources. But why is it a matter of such significance for us?
First, it breaks down forever our image of a country dependent on “handouts”. One cannot imagine the significance of this “breaking down”. The greatest harm that colonialism did to all its conquered peoples is sow the seed of inferiority and self-doubt. Through racism -- cultural and intellectual -- and all-out economic exploitation we were made to feel incapable of doing anything. For us, the “inferiority” thesis was further reinforced during the 23 years of Pakistani rule. Coming out of such a mindset remains the biggest challenge for all former colonies, though formal end to colonialism may have come decades ago. In 1971, through an armed liberation struggle, we did declare our independence in the cultural and political sense, but the dependency syndrome persisted in the field of development. A serious blow to the last vestiges of that syndrome may be said to have been dealt through our building of the Padma Bridge.
Second, before the Padma Bridge construction, “donor dictation” could be said to be the name of the game. “Conditionalities” was the key word in any project and strict adherence to those was the reality within which the recipient country -- like Bangladesh -- had to operate. The Padma Bridge marks the most public and direct defiance of a multilateral organisation like the World Bank and through it, of “donor practice” in general.
Bangladesh had never publicly defied a multilateral donor of such stature as the World Bank before, marking a sea change in the relationship between donors and Bangladesh.
The third significant aspect is the confidence that Bangladesh has now acquired of managing mega projects of this scale. This, no doubt, will prove to be of immense value in implementing future projects of a similar scale. The project implementation unit -- consisting of more than 100 local experts supplemented by few from abroad -- played a seminal role. Project Director (PD) Shafiqul Islam, who has headed this project since 2011, deserves special praise for its efficient management and satisfactory implementation.
One clear lesson that comes out of it is that unlike many big projects this was not headed by a bureaucrat but a professional person -- in this case an engineer. The other lesson is that bureaucratic intervention was minimal. Technical experts had the upper hand and not paper-shuffling “know-all” officials. The third lesson is timely decision-making, fund allocation and efficient professional monitoring. If we follow these “lessons” in case of other projects, our rate of implementation will dramatically improve, leading to massive cost savings.
One person whom we must remember and pay respect to on this occasion is Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, popularly known as JRC. He was the chairman of the government’s panel of experts and an integral part of this project from the very beginning till his untimely demise in April, 2020. In providing expert guidance and leadership his role was incomparable.
When the bridge faced a near existential threat due to design complexities in 14 crucial mid-river piers, he stunned his peers, including those from the rest of the world, in finding state-of-the-art solutions for them. On this occasion, we pay our heartfelt tribute to this man of extraordinary brilliance and incomparable integrity of character.
The Padma Bridge will not only connect the capital directly with 21 south and southwestern districts but will also contribute to greater connectivity and trade among Asian countries through its linkage with the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway.
With the opening of the Padma Bridge, a new challenge will emerge -- that of making the most efficient use of this magnificent infrastructure. Given its huge cost and enormous maintenance and operational expenses, an optimal use of this massive bridge will have to be made so that we are able to maximise our return from the public money that has been invested in it. For that to happen, our road traffic in general will have to attain a level of efficiency in functionality and operations that we have not attained so far. A whole new level of highway traffic management system will have to be put in place. The sad truth is that our highway traffic management is among the worst, with the road accident rate one of the highest in the world.
Why not use the same mindset that has been so extraordinarily exhibited in making the Padma Bridge a reality, in transforming and modernising our whole road traffic management system? This is the moment to turn our highway management into a modern one as symbolised by the bridge itself. That would indeed be a blessing for all road transport passengers.
Let Padma Bridge stand as the symbol of Bangladesh truly becoming a nation of performance and purpose. Let this bridge represent our comprehensive transition into modernity not only in terms of infrastructure but also in terms of institutions, laws and values. Let the world see Bangladesh as truly graduating into a country of relative prosperity and of freedom, rights and democracy.
That will be the true symbolic value of Padma Bridge.

Khaleda
FROM PAGE 2
recovered after undergoing treatment at home.
But as other health complications cropped up, the BNP chief was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27. She received treatment at the hospital’s coronary care unit (CCU) for about two months before being released on June 19.
Khaleda was sent to jail on February 8, 2018, in a corruption case. Due to the pandemic, she was freed temporarily on March 25 last year on certain conditions. The term of her release has so far been extended four times.

Relief distribution
FROM PAGE 12
union for rational distribution of relief and rehabilitation initiatives,” he said.
Contacted, Sylhet’s Companiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Lushi Kant Hajong said, “The committees are not meant for hoarding relief, but for guiding all relief initiatives to reach the people who need it the most.”
Debajit Singha, additional divisional commissioner (general) in Sylhet, said, “Since the beginning of the flood, the distribution of non-government relief was not rational and we decided to come up with the idea to form committees to guide relief workers. Our aim is to ensure that everyone gets relief and rehabilitation support properly.”
SUFFERINGS CONTINUE
“Nothing to eat, nothing to feed and the house is flooded. Now the struggle is to survive and keep the cattle alive,” said Sarada Biswas, of Baramaidan village in Moulvibazar’s Barlekha upazila, right on the edge of Hakaluki haor.
Like Sarada, Sanat Das of the village is also passing hard times to feed his family of five, and the four cattle he owns.
“Not just me and my family; these cattle are starving for days. Our food is being managed this way or that way, but I’m really worried of cattle fodder,” he said.
Siddik Miah, of Phulbari village in Netrakona’s Kalmakanda upazila, said, “Within half an hour, our house was flooded and we lost the house and 15 maunds of paddy we stored in the house. Now my family of five are homeless and helpless.”
Solomon Rithit, the headman of the village, mostly inhabited by the Garo people, said, “It took only a few minutes, the overflowing river submerged the village. I lost a house and another is barely standing.”
FLOOD IN THE NORTH
While the situation improving in the north-eastern districts, the flood situation is deteriorating in the northern districts, causing sufferings for thousands of people there.
River erosion has also started in the north, rendering many people homeless.
In Tangail, as water level of the Jamuna started receding, the erosion begins in Kalihati, Nagarpur, Bhuanpur and Sadar upazilas.
In the fresh erosion, several hundred houses and other structures have already been devoured by the river, displacing many people.
The house of one Jorina Begum of Konabari village in Bhuanpur upazila has gone into the river, forcing her family to take shelter on an embankment in Govindasi.
She said, “We don’t know where to go now. No one has come with any assistance so far.”
A portion of the newly constructed dam near Bangabandhu bridge in Beltia area of Kalihati upazila was collapsed. The people of nearby localities are in fear of being affected.
Locals blamed poor quality of construction work for this.
However, Sirajul Islam, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Tangail, denied it and said they were taking emergency measures in the erosion-affected areas.
In Sirajganj, the swelling Jamuna has swamped 25 unions in five upazilas where over one lakh people have been marooned for weeks.
Abul Bashar of Rautera village in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, said, “For around two weeks, we have been stranded in floodwater and there is no sign of water receding.”
CHAIRMAN SHOW-CAUSED
Meanwhile, Abu Bakkar Siddik, chairman of Maghan Siadar Union Parishad in Netrakona’s Mohanganj, yesterday got a show-cause notice from the upazila nirbahi officer after he reportedly slapped some people who gathered at the union parishad for relief on Thursday.
Mohanganj UNO Sabbir Ahmed issued the notice.
[Mintu Deshwara, Mirza Shakil and Ahmed Humayun Kabir Topu contributed to this report.]