'Padma Bridge cost to be repaid by 2057'

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said the construction cost of Padma Bridge would be collected from tolls by 2057, two days after the mega structure was inaugurated.

The minister was replying to a tabled question from ruling party MP in reserved women seat Kh. Momota Hena Lovely in the House, reports UNB.

"Bangladesh Bridge Authority will repay all the loans given by the government in 140 quarterly installments in 35 years with the toll collected from vehicles plying on the Padma Bridge," he said.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 6.15 kilometers Padma Bridge on June 25 connecting south-western districts with Dhaka.

Besides, in response to Jatiya Party lawmaker elected from Pirojpur Md Rustum Ali Faraji, railway minister Nurul Islam Sujan said that the cost per passenger per kilometer of the railway is Tk 2.43 and the income is Tk 0.82.

On the other hand, the cost per tonne of transporting goods is Tk 7.94 per tonne and the income is Tk 3.18.

The minister presented the revenue and expenditure information on the basis of the railway costing profile prepared for the 2016-17 financial year.

He presented the revenue figures of Railways for the last 5 years (FY 2016-17 to FY 2020-21).

According to the information of the minister, in 5 years it has carried 36.17 crore passengers and 2.8 crore tons of cargo.

At this time the income of the railway has been Tk 6.8 crore, the minister said.

He said that passenger transport is increasing day by day as the country's largest public transport railway is a safe and comfortable vehicle.