The Department of Roads and Urban Development is constructing Muhuri Bridge on the river Feni to facilitate road communication between Chittagong district, greater Noakhali and Laxmipur districts and Sonagazi upazila of Feni district. This will enable the residents of Sonapur and Sonagazi upazilas to reach the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in less than 2 hours by road. The Sonapur (Noakhali) -Sonagazi (Feni) -Zorarganj (Chittagong) road will also be used as an alternative to the Dhaka-Chittagong highway through the construction of the bridge. The bridge will also play an important role in accessing the Sonagazi economic zone.
According to district sources, the road and township department has taken initiative to build the Muhuri bridge over the Feni river by connecting it with the Jorarganj-Muhuri project road of Mirsarai upazila and Sonagazi road of Feni district. Hasan Techno Builders is constructing the bridge at a cost of Tk 54 crore. The length of the bridge will be 391 meters, width 10.25 meters, 8 pillars in 9 spans, 2 apartments. The total filing will be 128. Each filing has been deepened from 38 meters to 48 meters. There are 10 filings left. A total of 45 girders will be installed, 5 in each span. Work on the bridge began in January this year. The bases of 5 pillars have been cast. In the meantime 2 girders have been made. A 400-meter approach road has already been constructed on both sides of the bridge. Construction time is 18 months.
Mazharul Haque, Deputy Assistant Engineer, Roads and Urban Development Department (RHD), Feni District and Project Director, Muhuri Bridge, said the Muhuri Bridge would connect Sonapur Road in Noakhali District and Sonagazi Road in Feni District with Zorarganj Road in Mirsarai, Chittagong District. This will enable the residents of Sonapur and Sonagazi to travel on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in less than 2 hours. If the bridge is constructed, the transportation facilities in the Sonagazi Economic Zone of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Industrial City will be increased. He also said that the bridge would play an important role in connecting the economic zone. The filing work of Muhuri Bridge is 90% and the overall progress of the bridge is 42%. The bridge is expected to be open to traffic by December next year.
Mirsarai Upazila Chairman. Jasim Uddin said Mirsarai Upazila is now very important as a hub for road communication and economic investment. Residents of Sonagazi upazila of Noakhali, Laxmipur district and Feni district will be able to reach Dhaka-Chittagong highway in a very short time by using Muhuri Bridge under construction. This will bring about a huge change in the economic and daily life of the people of the region.
