Bangladesh indebted to China for friendship bridges, eyes more infrastructure projects

DHAKA - Millions of people living in central Bangladesh used to refer to the Dhaleshwari River as the "River of Sorrows" as the waterway made it extremely difficult for people to get to the capital city Dhaka.

In the absence of a bridge spanning the river, people were cut off from the capital for centuries, which impacted businesses as well as communities.

But the peoples' collective headache was finally remedied by China constructing a bridge and linking both banks and, in doing so, making life easier for all concerned.

The 6th China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge, as it is known, is situated in the Munshiganj district, about 30 kilometers away from Dhaka and the bridge's construction was finished eight years ago.

The bridge has meant that there is now a fixed transportation route between Dhaka city and Munshiganj, one of the major areas supplying agricultural products to the capital city.

Local businesses said the vast changes brought on by the bridge have been revolutionary, in terms of both the economic development of the area itself and also the convenience and ease it offers locals both professionally and personally.

Such is the popularity of the bridge, that it has been labeled as one of Bangladesh's "lifeline structures."

Construction of the sixth China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge began in July 2005 and was completed in January 2008, six months ahead of schedule, much to the delight of all involved and all whose lives would be improved by the bridge.