Asian investment body loans $260 mn to Bangladesh for bridge construction

27 May 2021 CW Team

The Kewatkhali Bridge, set to be Bangladesh's first arch steel bridge, will significantly reduce traffic congestion in Mymensingh's northern city centre by diverting traffic away from the congested city centre. Furthermore, the new bridge will be part of the Dhaka-Mymensingh-India border corridor, which is crucial for local and regional connectivity.

Over 11 million people in Bangladesh's northern region will benefit from increased mobility and integration of local and regional markets once the project is completed. The bridge will also reduce travel time for people and vehicles while also helping to reduce carbon emissions.

Bridges, like in other river delta environments, play an important role in Bangladesh's transportation network. AIIB sees the financing of the Kewatkhali Bridge in Mymensingh as an opportunity to use cutting-edge technology in bridge maintenance and management to improve structural performance, service life, and bridge safety for residents and motorists, said AIIB Senior Investment Operations Specialist Natalia Sanz.

The project includes a proposed Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS), which will be used to provide early warnings of structural issues in the main bridge, according to Sanz. Data on load and environmental effects, as well as bridge responses, will be collected in real time and interfaced with a bridge rating system, allowing for more efficient monitoring and assisting in the development of a systematic approach to periodic inspection.

Engineers can develop models to distinguish the effects of maintenance activity from normal wear and tear by studying changes in bridge conditions over time. The most recent advances in this field include deepening our understanding of physical deterioration processes, particularly the effect of structural damage on the reliability and performance of structural components, according to Sanz.

A key component of the project is the training and institutional development of the National Roads and Highways Department in the maintenance and operation of an arch steel bridge and the use of the BHMS.

Image Source

Also read: Maitri Setu: The Gateway of Northeast

Also read: RITES consortium secures Bangladesh rail project

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will loan $260 million to Bangladesh for the construction of a bridge that will use cutting-edge technology to improve safety and promote early structural damage detection. The Kewatkhali Bridge, set to be Bangladesh's first arch steel bridge, will significantly reduce traffic congestion in Mymensingh's northern city centre by diverting traffic away from the congested city centre. Furthermore, the new bridge will be part of the Dhaka-Mymensingh-India border corridor, which is crucial for local and regional connectivity. Over 11 million people in Bangladesh's northern region will benefit from increased mobility and integration of local and regional markets once the project is completed. The bridge will also reduce travel time for people and vehicles while also helping to reduce carbon emissions. Bridges, like in other river delta environments, play an important role in Bangladesh's transportation network. AIIB sees the financing of the Kewatkhali Bridge in Mymensingh as an opportunity to use cutting-edge technology in bridge maintenance and management to improve structural performance, service life, and bridge safety for residents and motorists, said AIIB Senior Investment Operations Specialist Natalia Sanz. The project includes a proposed Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS), which will be used to provide early warnings of structural issues in the main bridge, according to Sanz. Data on load and environmental effects, as well as bridge responses, will be collected in real time and interfaced with a bridge rating system, allowing for more efficient monitoring and assisting in the development of a systematic approach to periodic inspection. Engineers can develop models to distinguish the effects of maintenance activity from normal wear and tear by studying changes in bridge conditions over time. The most recent advances in this field include deepening our understanding of physical deterioration processes, particularly the effect of structural damage on the reliability and performance of structural components, according to Sanz. A key component of the project is the training and institutional development of the National Roads and Highways Department in the maintenance and operation of an arch steel bridge and the use of the BHMS. Image Source Also read: Maitri Setu: The Gateway of Northeast Also read: RITES consortium secures Bangladesh rail project

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..