The Jamuna Multi-Purpose Bridge

The Jamuna Multi-Purpose Bridge over the mighty river Jamuna in Bangladesh is a triumph of modern engineering and technological skills. 4.8 kilometres long and 18.5 metres wide, this bridge which connects the districts of Tangail and Sirajganj is the longest ever in Bangladesh and the eleventh largest in the whole world. The main bridge was constructed by the Hyundai Construction Co. of South Korea. About 15,000 people worked for four years to build this gigantic bridge. The bridge is connected with a 15.3 km approach road on the east and another of 14.4 km on the west. It has 50 pillars and 49 spans.
Each of its 121 piles has an average depth of 83 metres to guarantee its strength and durability. The total cost of this huge structure was more than seven hundred million US dollars which came jointly from the Bangladesh Government, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and Japan. Apart from railway and motorway communication, this multi-purpose bridge will also facilitate gas, electricity and telecommunication lines between the two parts of the country.