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Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee today said construction of the Padma Barrage project is expected to be inaugurated in January or February next year.
Around seven crore people in southwestern Bangladesh are expected to benefit from the project, which is expected to bring significant socio-economic development to disadvantaged communities in the region, he said.
The minister made the remarks during a discussion after inspecting the proposed project site at Satbaria Kanchan Park on the bank of the Padma River in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna today, according to a press release.
Anee said the government had taken the initiative within two and a half months of assuming office, describing the project as a landmark undertaking and a major challenge for the country.
The estimated cost of the first phase is around Tk 35,000 crore, he said, adding that preparations for the second phase would need to begin before the first phase is completed.
According to current estimates, the total cost of completing the project would range from Tk 50,000 crore to Tk 55,000 crore, the minister added.
