Bangladesh Signs Deal With Chinese Joint Venture to Expand Jamuna Bridge Capacity

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority has signed an agreement with a Chinese joint venture to renovate the unused railway lane of the Jamuna Bridge and convert it into a roadway in a bid to expand traffic capacity on the bridge.

Under the agreement, the abandoned rail lane on the bridge will be reconstructed to accommodate vehicle movement, increasing the road width by 3.5 meters, officials said.

The contract for the “Jamuna Bridge Deck Rehabilitation, Widening and Capacity Enhancement Project” for the 2025–26 fiscal year was signed on Wednesday at the conference room of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority.

The Chinese joint venture awarded the contract is formed by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), operating together as CCCC-CRBC (JV).

Chief Engineer Kazi Md. Ferdous signed the agreement on behalf of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, while Wang Benchian signed on behalf of the Chinese joint venture.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Director (Administration) of the Bridge Division, Altaf Hossain Sheikh, said authorities have instructed all parties to implement the expansion work quickly while maintaining construction quality in order to reduce public suffering.

He added that the project would play a significant role in addressing the country’s growing traffic pressure and ensuring the modernization and long-term sustainability of the Jamuna Bridge, one of Bangladesh’s key transport links connecting the northern and southern regions of the country.

According to the Bridge Division, the railway lane became unused after a separate rail connection was introduced on the bridge. The new project will renovate and convert that lane for vehicular use, increasing traffic capacity and improving the bridge deck through modern engineering technologies.

Officials expressed hope that, once completed, the upgraded Jamuna Bridge will become a more durable and efficient transportation infrastructure for Bangladesh.

The ceremony was chaired by Altaf Hossain Sheikh, Director (Administration) of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority and Additional Secretary. Senior officials from the Bridge Division, Bangladesh Bridge Authority, and the CCCC-CRBC joint venture were also present at the event.