TRENDY BUSINESS 2018

PADMA BRIDGE: PROGRESS SATISFACTORY Originally planned to be completed by December 2013, the much-troubled Padma Bridge Project is now making good progress and it is expected to be completed by 2018. According to official reports presented to the Prime Minister on April 27, the project marked 65 percent progress in constructing approach roads at Jajira, 73 percent at Mawa, main bridge and river training, 21 percent. Thirty-four percent progress has been made in bridge financing. The project that saw several cost escalations is now being implemented at a hefty cost of $3.7 b. This cost jumped from $2.9 b at 2010—when the World Bank had agreed to fund it. After the WB withdrew its promise, the government began implementing the project from 2014 using its own resources. ROOPPUR NUCLEAR POWER: PROGRESS SATISFACTORY The 2400 megawatt Rooppur nuclear power project has made significant progress as it has initialled a $12.65 b financing agreement with Russia last December. Al...