Bangladesh gets its bridge of dreams across mighty Padma

Context

In a bid to give an unprecedented boost to transportation, Bangladesh launched the historic 6.15-km-long Padma Bridge.

The multipurpose road-rail bridge, also known as Amader Swapner Padda Setu, meaning the bridge of our dreams across Padma, will boost trade and communication with the neighbouring country India.
Padma Bridge will connect Louhajong and Munshiganj to Shariatpur and Madaripur (linking the southwest of the country to the northern and eastern regions).
The bridge, built over the Padma river, has been fully funded by the Bangladesh government.

The Padma is one of the major rivers of Bangladesh.
It is the main distributary of the Ganges which originates in the Gangotri glacier of the Himalayan.

The part of the Ganga in Bangladesh is known as the Padma which enters Bangladesh from India (Murshidabad district) at Shibganj Upazila (Manakosha and Durlavpur unions) of Chapai Nawabganj district.

It forms in India at the junction of the Ganges and Jamuna Rivers, then merges with the Meghna River and ultimately empties into the Bay of Bengal.

Increased GDP: The Bangladesh government estimates GDP to increase by 1.23 per cent.
- Apart from this, the southwestern region is also expected to see a GDP growth of 2.3 per cent.
Better connectivity: The bridge, which symbolises the strength of Bangladesh's national determination, will provide road and rail links between the country's relatively less-developed southwest and the more developed east.