The Army will be given the task of permanently protecting the banks of the Padma river from erosion at a cost of Tk. 392.40 crore. This will be in the Mawa-Kandirpara-Jashaldhia area. The water resources ministry has opted for the Army for the work as a "single source" and has prepared a proposal in this regard, sources in the ministry said. The proposal will be placed at the next meeting of the cabinet committee on purchase to be held soon.
Earlier, the cabinet committee on economic affairs had recommended that the work should be given to the Army so that it can be completed in time. Secretary of the water resources ministry, Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, said that according to the proposal the Army would do the river bank protection work over a 1,300-metre area from the old Mawa ferry ghat to Jashaldhia via Kandirpara. This in turn would protect the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.  “Erosion by the mighty Padma near the old Mawa ferry terminal is continuing. It is posing a serious threat to the Padma Bridge site and also the Mawa-Kewrakandi new ferry terminal. Already 300 metres of the river bank have been eroded,” the proposal said. According to the proposal, if the erosion goes on, the design of the Padma Bridge may have to be partially altered. The Army submitted a proposal for the work as a "single source" under the direct procurement method (DPM) before the water resources ministry following a request from the ministry.