[7][8][9] The construction of this bridge was deemed to be especially challenging due to specific constraints with the width and depth of the Padma river.

Following the inauguration of the bridge, economic activity in the southwestern regions is expected to be significantly boosted, with several big companies already starting their productions there.

To ensure convenient trips to other destinations by crossing the Padma Bridge, the government of Bangladesh has initiated numerous projects, including the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Elevated Expressway, aimed at enhancing road connectivity.

3,843.50 crore was proposed for the construction of a bridge over the Padma River on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga-Khulna Highway with the aim of establishing direct communication between the capital and the south and southwest of the country.

[16] The foundation stone for the Padma Bridge was laid by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 4 July 2001.

[17] However, the BNP, under the leadership of Khaleda Zia, returned to power following the 2001 general election and decided to discontinue the project.

[citation needed] In the 2006-2007 Annual Development Program, the then Government of Bangladesh adopted a plan to build the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.

[7] China proposed building the bridge on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis by investing $2 billion, or 70 percent of the project cost.

[23] The detailed design of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge is being delivered by a team of international and national consultants headed by AECOM.

A key feature of the detailed design was the integration of Bangladesh counterparts into the design team, which allowed the successful training of a significant number of Bangladesh personnel in all aspects of the project and the subsequent transfer of the high level of technology involved in this large, complex project.

[26] As of May 2021, more than 95% of the construction (all the main steel frame spans were set on the piers) of the 6.15-kilometre-long, two-tier Padma Multipurpose Bridge had been completed.

China's Sinohydro Corporation was appointed for the river training works while Bangladesh's Abdul Monem Limited was given the contract for the two link roads and infrastructure construction.

In October 2017, more than one and a half years after the main construction work began, the first span was installed between pillars 37 and 38, indicating timely progress on the project.

The Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, unveiled a plaque at the Mawa point commemorating the construction of the bridge followed by special prayers.

According to Jugantar, citing the World Bank, the revenue from the Padma Bridge in the next 31 years will be 18.5 billion dollars, which is 5.5 times the construction cost.

The World Bank stated that they found "credible evidence corroborated by a variety of sources which points to a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials, SNC-Lavalin executives, and private individuals in connection with the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.

In accordance with one of these conditions, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain had to resign, as he was alleged to have been involved in the corruption.

[41] SNC-Lavalin accepted a negotiated resolution agreement where the company and its affiliates were barred from taking part in bidding for World Bank contracts for 10 years.

This is particularly significant, as one of the four criteria required before the international donor agrees to a negotiated settlement is "Whether an accused party has admitted culpability".

[42] However, the corruption allegations were thrown out in a Canadian Court on a technicality as initial cause shown before wire tapping suspects was not deemed good enough.

[44] In 2017, former ICC prosecutor Luis Gabriel Moreno Ocampo came to Dhaka to monitor the progress of the alleged Padma Multipurpose Bridge corruption investigation.

As recommended by the panel, the ACC filed a case implicating former Bridges Division secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and six other high-ranking government officials.

However, the same Canadian court acquitted three executives of charges that SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. staff had planned to bribe Bangladesh officials in the bridge project, on the same technicality mentioned earlier.

[45][44] Rumours spread on social media platforms like Facebook that human heads would be required in the construction of the Padma Bridge in July 2019.

Once the bridge is operational, another Kolkata-Dhaka International train via Mawa, Goalando, Faridpur, Kushthia, Poradaho, Darshana and Gede may be introduced.

[51] Tourist spots of Southwestern Bangladesh like Kuakata, Sundarbans and major destinations like Barisal, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Patuakhali, Khulna, etc.