GLOBALink | 8th friendship bridge under Chinese grants nears completion in Bangladesh

Rehana, a villager in Bangladesh's southwestern Pirojpur district, recounts the troublesome journey she had to take the night before her delivery on a rickety boat.

Rehana said she held on to her life and that of her unborn baby, praying to reach a clinic before it was too late.

It may be unbelievable for many elsewhere in the world, but for the folks at the village in Pirojpur, life has been such for a very long time.

Now not merely Rehana but all other villagers and people from the surrounding areas believe that an end to their misery is in sight as another friendship bridge under Chinese grants nears completion.

As many as seven friendship bridges have already been completed across Bangladesh under Chinese grants.

And the eighth one is now under construction over Kocha River in Pirojpur district, 185 km southwest of Dhaka.

Local residents, who use ferry and boat to go to the other side of the river, say they will be immensely benefited upon completion of the bridge, making it only a few minutes to cross the river.

The bridge is expected to be completed in June this year.

Abdul Quader Sheikh, a local resident from Gurbaria village in Pirojpur district, said they are very happy that the Chinese have gifted them a bridge.

"We're very happy. They are a different nation but they (Chinese) have loved us and we're to be benefited from the gift," he said.

"I pray for them," he said. "May they always be good and may we be good with them."

Md Lutfar Rahman Sheikh, another villager, said people will benefit a lot as movement will be smoother and faster.

"We're happy that the Chinese government has gifted this bridge to the Bangladeshi government," he said. "Thanks on my behalf to all the Chinese."

China Railway 17th Bureau Group Co., Ltd is constructing the bridge under the management of China Railway Major Bridge Reconnaissance & Design Institute Co., Ltd.

By March 31, the eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge Project was 90 percent completed.

All construction activities are proceeding normally now and the engineering work has not been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gurucharan Hawladar, a worker, said he has been working for the bridge for one and a half years.

Many Chinese have come here and about four hundred Bangladeshi workers are working here, said the worker.

"From the Chinese, we Bangladeshi workers can learn a lot. We can learn different kinds of work skills from them," he said.

"If such a project is done later, if a Bangladeshi company does this (similar project), then it will be seen that the experience of these workers will be very useful," he added.

Md Mehedi Hasan, another worker, said he has been working with the project for three years.

"I'm very happy to have this bridge next to my house," he said.

"Many thanks to the Chinese government," he said while working on the site of the bridge which, officials said, will play an important role in accelerating the movement of people and goods in Barisal and Khulna divisions in southern Bangladesh.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service