Kurigram   Correspondent:

The much-anticipated third Teesta road bridge, connecting Chilmari in Kurigram with Gaibandha’s Sundarganj, will open to traffic on Wednesday (August 20).

“We have completed all preparations to open the bridge on August 20,” said Uzzal Chowdhury, executive engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Gaibandha.

“This bridge is not just a structure, it is a symbol of the aspirations of Teesta’s people.”

The 1,490-metre Chilmari–Haripur bridge is the largest and most modern structure over the Teesta, and is expected to transform communication, trade and livelihoods in northern Bangladesh.

The main structure cost Tk 367 crore, with a further Tk 363.85 crore spent on approach roads, river training, culverts, and land acquisition.

The project was supervised by the LGED, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and implemented by China State Construction Engineering Corporation.

Construction began in September 2020. Although initially slated for completion in June 2023, the deadline was extended five times; the project was ultimately finished ahead of the final August 2025 deadline.

The bridge features 290 piles, 30 piers, 28 spans and 155 girders. To protect riverbanks and ensure access, the project added 57km of roads, 12 bridges and 58 box culverts, alongside the acquisition of 133 acres of land.

This is the third bridge over the Teesta. The first, a 750-metre span at Gokunda in Lalmonirhat Sadar, opened in 2012; the second, measuring 850 metres at Mahipur in Rangpur’s Gangachara upazila, was inaugurated in 2018.

For locals, the opening marks more than infrastructure.

“Our dream has finally come true,” said Sirajul Haque, 65, a farmer from Haripur village.

A local teacher, Jahurul Islam, said the bridge had already boosted land prices and encouraged business growth.

Businessman Ranjit Chandra Saha of Chilmari added that the bridge would shave 90–100 kilometres off the Kurigram–Dhaka route and link Sonahat land port with Chilmari river port, “opening new doors for trade”.

‘After years of delays, the inauguration of the third Teesta bridge is being seen as a milestone for northern Bangladesh, promising new opportunities, faster connectivity, and a brighter economic future,’ Uzzal said.