The centenary of the country’s largest steel railway bridge ‘Hardinge Bridge’, built over Padma at Paksey point of Pabna in 1915, was celebrated on Saturday.
International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) and Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) jointly arranged a function on the occasion at a programme in a city hotel.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and Railways Minister Mazibul Hoque spoke at the function held with Prof Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury in the chair.Muhith said it is now possible to build bridges almost anywhere with the development of new technology and cement. “Today, we’re grateful to engineer Robert Gailes (British) who worked for the bridge which is now 100-year old,” he said.
Mazibul Hoque said the present government Shiekh Hasina’s leadership gives the highest importance to the development of railways.
Noting that the physical work of the 1.8-km Hardinge Bridge had started in 1909 and completed 1915, he said the bridge was partially damaged during the Liberation War, but Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took initiatives to reopen it.
Professor Dr K Nogami of Tokyo Metropolitan University also spoke at the function, attended by delegates from various countries.
The bridge, runs between the railways stations Bheramara and Paksey in Pabna, was named for Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge.- UNB
