Padma Bridge inauguration: Over 70 diplomats being invited

Padma bridge
File photo

As there is only three days left for the Padma Bridge inaugural ceremony, the bridge division officials are taking the last-minute preparation for the main event that will be held on the bank of the Padma River.

A meeting was held on Monday to review the preparation of the 18 committees formed over the Padma Bridge inaugural ceremony with bridge division secretary Md Manjur Hossain in the chair.

Meeting sources said the committee on distributing invitation cards informed the meeting that more than 2,000 invitation cards have already been distributed.

A decision has been taken to invite more than 3,000 people at the name plaque-unveiling event at Mawa end of the Padma Bridge.

Cabinet members, lawmakers, politicians, experts, civil society members, civil servants, journalists and foreign diplomats, among others, will participate in the function.

According to the bridge division, the list of invitees will include diplomats from various foreign missions in Dhaka, chief of international organisations and the World Bank president. The foreign minister is taking care of it and there is plan to issue 75 invitation cards for foreigners.

On the other hand, invitation cards have been sent to the office of political parties.

The prime minister will take part in the civic gathering at Mawa end of the Padma Bridge at 10:00am on the inauguration day. She will unveil the name plaque of the bridge.

She will pay the toll and will cross the bridge by a car.

The prime minister will unveil another name plaque at Jajira end. She will address a rally at Shibchar of Madaripur.

Ruling Awami League plans to gather 1 million people in Shibchar. Party sources said its leaders have been holding preparatory meetings to bring the party men from Barishal, greater Faridpur region and Bagerhat. Party leaders also want to bring their activists from Dhaka, Munshiganj and Narayanganj

However, the government decided to suspend movement of passenger vehicles including bus on Dhaka-Mawa route on the inauguration day. Traffic will also be restricted on the bridge on that day.

Wishing anonymity, a central leader tasked with holding the party rally told Prothom Alo that leaders and activists from Mawa have been advised to cross the river by launch early in the morning.