Friday Spot Reporting, a new initiative of banglanews, selected its hotspot on the construction areas of much-waited bridge on the banks of the mighty river Padma. The team included its Head of News Mahmood Menon, Senior Newsroom Editor Asif Aziz, Newsroom Editor Hussian Azad, Staff Correspondents Sabbir Ahmed, Shahed Ershad and Urmi Mahbub, Senior Photo Correspondent Shoyeb Mithun and Staff Photo Correspondent Noor, visited several construction sites at Mawa and Zajira.

AFTER RETURNING FROM MAWA AND SHIMULIA GHAT: Millions of people have eagerly been waiting for over the years for the construction of the much-talked-about bridge on the mighty river Padma. A Chinese firm called ‘Major Bridge’, after winning the tender bid, is taking preparation for the construction work.

They are building housing facilities for its workers by the river bank in Mawa. At least 35 houses consisting of 10 rooms in each house have been constructed to provide residential facilities for the Chinese workers.

Some 5,000 employees of the firm will live in these temporary houses during their stay in this construction site.

On the Friday visit, they saw the construction works are underway.

A Chinese construction official, on condition of anonymity, told banglanews that these temporary semi-pacca houses will provide shelters for the workers of ‘Major Bridge’. These houses, with air-condition facilities, are made of concrete. Tins have been used as their roofs. Sound and heat-proofed foams have also been used for the comfort of the workers, he added.

According to the official, around 35 houses have been built so far. Now, they are waiting for the connection of electricity. Construction works of the houses of the same number is also underway.

More houses will be built, if necessary, he added.

He further told banglanews that each of the houses consists of around 15 rooms accommodating two or three employees in each room.

With the help of an interpreter, another Chinese official said that the temporary houses are being constructed for about 5,000 Chinese workers, who will be involved in the project.

Repeating the same information, a local construction worker Amir Hossain (55) at the site said that they are building the houses for the Chinese workers of the ‘Major Bridge’.

Like Amir, about 500 local construction workers are involved in building the residential area. He is getting Tk 400 as his daily wage. But, he does not know how many days will take to complete the houses.

Expressing his excitement, Amir said, the Chinese people are working to make the bridge connecting both the banks of the mighty river. This place on the northern bank of Padma will be a Chinese neighborhood.

Interrupting Amir, another local employee, terms the under-construction site as a ‘Mini China Town’.

BDST: 1720 HRS, DEC 14, 2014