Political commitment crucial for Padma Barrage, Second Padma Bridge: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for strong political commitment to implement the Padma Barrage and the Second Padma Bridge, saying the projects are vital for millions living in southern Bangladesh.

Speaking at a seminar in Dhaka on Sunday, he said the lives and livelihoods of nearly 80 million people are linked to these long-awaited infrastructure projects.

“Despite seven feasibility studies, there is still no final decision. This is extremely unfortunate,” the veteran politician said at the event, organised by the National Committee for Implementation of Padma Barrage and Second Padma Bridge at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali.

Fakhrul stressed that the Farakka Barrage, located upstream in India, is not just a localised problem but one affecting the entire southern region.

He said many areas are becoming uninhabitable due to environmental changes, forcing people to leave their ancestral homes.

“The construction of the Padma Barrage and Second Padma Bridge is essential to protect the region and its people,” the BNP leader said,

He urged citizens to unite in support of the projects, saying that any future government, regardless of political affiliation, should take action.

“BNP has pledged to build the Second Padma Bridge. We are committed to the development of this region because people’s livelihoods depend on it,” he added.

Fakhrul also said a united public demand could compel future governments to act.

“People want progress and a functioning democracy. Solutions to these issues can only come through a truly democratic process,” he said.

Economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), called on political parties to include the issue in their election manifestos ahead of the next national vote.

“This demand must become part of the national agenda,” he said, adding that the next government’s first task should be to formulate a medium-term plan for investment, employment and infrastructure.

He also urged the inclusion of the projects in the 2026–27 national budget.

Revolutionary Workers Party leader Saiful Haque, Ganosamhati Andolon’s Zonayed Saki, and BNP Chairperson’s Special Assistant Shimul Biswas, among others, spoke.

Former MP from Rajbari-1 Ali Newaz Mahmud Khayyam presided over the event.