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The main challenge currently facing the Padma bridge project is building the main bridge without adequate and proper studies, experts said. In the absence of detailed geotechnical, hydraulic and other related studies, they said, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project office has now got to take support of a foreign consulting firm for the confirmation of the design of the 6.15-kilometre bridge. Panel of experts of the project has proposed to change the design of the bridge foundation for not finding due level of depth and soil at 14 points of piers recommended by design consultant. The office has requested a UK-based firm, High Pan Rendal, to complete the design checking by September so that the Chinese contractor does not miss upcoming dry season of construction. But sources said design confirmation by September also would not ease the situation as ongoing rain, floods and river erosion have already made the possibility of using dry season for carrying out boring and piling for the piers of the main bridge. As a result, doubt has already been created over meeting the government target of inauguration of the dream bridge by December 2018. The project cost is escalating for delays. According to the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Geological Survey Bangladesh (GSB), multidimensional studies including detailed geotechnical and geophysical ones were necessary to confirm the detailed design. Experts argued that mud over the base level of riverbed was not deposited all on a sudden and proper soil investigation which is done during exploratory boring would certainly discover it. They said the Padma is no doubt a dynamic river but it is not located at the mouth of two rivers, which may cause change in soil layer. "Shifting river flow and change in river layer have not taken place in a year or two…it is a matter of hundreds of thousands of years," said a geologist, preferring not to be named as Padma Bridge is a very sensitive project. He said if layer change really takes place, it should be a matter of research. Another expert said geophysical study could identify the change of layers all along the bridge corridor and decision must be taken through coordination of all data. He said Padma as a dynamic river changes its river training at any time as well as takes on different characteristics as a delta. The expert, however, aired doubt about such change in layer that increases the foundation depth from 112 metres to 124 to 128 metres. According to sources, the design consultant, Maunsel AECOM, had conducted exploratory boring at 12 points out of proposed 40 piers. But the contractor found soil levels different at 14 points down the middle of the river. So it is assumed that exploratory study was not done with due distances. With half the construction period gone by, it is now recommended changes in the depth of 14 piers from 112 to 113 metres to 123 metres to 128 metres on point-to-point basis. BUET experts, however, said design consultants' study findings must be confirmed through detailed study at the stage of construction by the contractor. Though the project's contractor, China Major Bridge Company (CMBC), started construction of the country's longest bridge in November 2014, it could not make any headway spending 33 months. According to the progress report in July, main bridge construction of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project (PMBP) is 8.0 per cent behind the target while the river-training work 10 per cent. With completion of approach roads on both sides and service-area development the total progress record improved to 45 per cent. There was hardly any progress during the last six months in both main bridge and river-training works. Though the CMBC could complete more than 150 piles of 26 piers (each pier has six piles), not a single pier has been visible till now. But the project has set a target to set up first 150-metre span on the Janjira side by next month. Sources said both change in the design and extension of time may hike the project cost manifold, hinting at 10 per cent increase in project cost for design changes, additional costs for materials and time extension for contractors and construction-supervision consultant, But change on non-tender items may hike the already-expensive project to unpredictable levels as the contractor then will claim more for the changes in contract and time. Padma Multipurpose Bridge is already considered a most expensive bridge in the world in comparison with per-kilometer cost of different bridges. PMB project office said they had guided the consulting firm to confirm the design with these issues in mind so that the existing Chinese firm has the capacity to complete the project. "Detailed soil investigation found change in the riverbed and we have proposed three to four options on foundation-design modification of couple of piers to finalise the design," said Dr Shamimuzzaman Basunia, one of the PoE members. But the project director said Padma bridge construction could not be started soon after the detailed design was done and already 17 years have gone by since the first hydraulic study was conducted. Sources said the BBA has already briefed the Prime Minister of the changes and possible increases in the project cost.     smunima@yahoo.com....

Published at: 2017-08-26 05:00:05

The government has initiated the process of instituting a separate 'Pension Accounting Office' to deal with the pension-related issues under a centralized management. This new government body is likely to come under the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General who is already working to develop an organogram for the planned entity, officials told the FE. Around 50 thousand to 60 thousand government employees take retirement every year and, as such, become eligible for state pension. Up until recently, the system was cumbersomely decentralised with various government agencies processing the pensioning of various segments of these employees. For example, the Ministry of Public Administration was responsible for managing the pensions of the retirees coming from the Administration Cadre while the Ministry of Education is responsible for handling the pensions of the retirees from Education Cadre. Recently, however, the government is increasingly looking to centralise this highly complex and decentralised system. In the latest national budget, all the pension-related allocations for various ministries have been brought under the budget of the Finance Division. The total allocation stands at around Tk 194.81 billion.    However, to further institutionalise this centralisation process, the Finance Division recently came up with a proposal for setting up a separate Pension Accounting Office. "Apart from ensuring increased centralisation of the system, establishing a separate PAO would help to ensure better transparency and accountability," Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Md. Muslim Chowdhury told the FE recently. Officials concerned said the government is currently looking for 'parametric reform' in its pension-management system. To that end, an automated pension database has already been developed by the government while the automation of pension processes and use of electronic fund transfer in pension payment is also underway. Establishing a separate PAO would especially be helpful in pension management when the government would gradually move to contributory pension scheme for its employees, insiders observed.   Apart from PAO, the government also plans to establish a separate pension cell within the Finance Division for resolving various pension- related complaints. Such separate cell would work to resolve different pension complicacies including those related to family pension or 'retired but not pensioned' type of cases, officials said.         mehdi.finexpress@gmail.com....

Published at: 2017-08-26 05:00:05

A bridge-construction project has seen eight project directors (PD) in seven years sans physical work, officials said. With seven years having elapsed, the project's physical works are yet to be started on the Shitalakhya Bridge though its current deadline was over in June this year. In the meantime, the government has extended the project-execution deadline thrice from the original timeline between November 2010 and December 2013. Besides, the project cost has also been revised (special) by the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRT&B), raising the amount by 43 per cent to Tk 5.39 billion. Now, the project-executing agency has sought 60 per cent higher funds and four more years for completing the scheme. All this happened in the Roads and Highway Department (RHD)'s 3rd Shitalakhya Bridge project. The bridge connects Syedpur (Madanganj) and Bandar (Narayanganj) points across the river. Officials said the RHD recently sought revision of the Shitalakhya Bridge project for a second time with the cost-overrun by 60 per cent to Tk 6.03 billion from the original Tk 3.77 billion. It has also sought four more years up to 2021 from the existing deadline of the financial year (FY) 2016-17 to complete the 1.29-kilometre bridge building which will connect Narayanganj with the capital city, Dhaka. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project in November 2010 with a cost of Tk 3.77 billion for completing it by December 2013. Out of the total cost, the government earmarked Tk3.11 billion as project aid, to be supplied by a development partner, while the rest Tk659.8 million proposed to be spent from government exchequer. As per the request of the RHD, the Planning Commission (PC) extended the execution deadline for the project without raising the cost on two occasions -- first time up to December 2014 and second up to December 2016. Then the minister for the MoRT&B got the cost enhanced by 43 per cent to Tk 5.39 billion through a special revision in June 2015. For a third time around, the PC has extended the project-implementation deadline up to June 2017. Meanwhile, PD of the project M Shamsul Huq said firstly, the project execution has been delayed due to absence of external fund confirmation by the development partner. Besides, delay in appointment of supervision consultants and slow approval process from the selected donor--Saudi Fund for Development (SFD)--are two other key reasons that held back the project execution, he told the FE. "Now all the obstacles have been removed. Early this year, we awarded contract to a Chinese company for construction of the bridge. The contractor is mobilising machinery and necessary equipment for building the Shitalakhya bridge. We hope work on the main bridge will start soon," Mr Huq said. Asked about the proposed project revision with cost escalation, the PD said the cost of the project increased due mainly to the higher bidding price by the contractor and increase in land prices and other construction materials. The RHD signed a contract with Sinohydro worth Tk 4.48 billion in February 2017 for constructing the bridge within 36 months. "Besides, one more year after the 36 months construction timeline for the contractor has been kept aside as the "defect liability period" for the contractor. Defect-liability period means guarantee of the works by the contractor," he added. Mr Huq said: "Those above factors have forced us to revise the project with higher cost and extended time up to June 2021." According to the Economic Relations Division (ERD), the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) confirmed Tk 3.33 billion worth of loans for the Shitalakhya Bridge project in July 2014. Usually the development partner releases funds in several tranches based on the expenditure of the Project Aid by the executing agency. The PD, Mr Huq, said: "Some works have already been started. We sought funds from the SFD in March 2017 against the expenditure. The development partner is yet to release the funds." Former caretaker government Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam said the government should introduce rewards for PDs and project staffs. "If any project is not executed properly, the PD and involved officials should be punished. And those who will complete the project successfully should be awarded," he told this correspondent.     kabirhumayan10@gmail.com....

Published at: 2017-08-26 05:00:05

Violent protests erupted in Haryana on Friday, killing at least 29 people, after a court convicted self-styled “godman” Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of raping two women, angering thousands of his supporters who said he was innocent, the state chief minister said. Singh, the head of a social welfare and spiritual group, was found guilty of raping two followers in a case dating back to 2002 at the headquarters of his Dera Sacha Sauda group in Sirsa, Haryana. Supporters rampaged in response, attacking railway stations, petrol stations and television vans in towns across Punjab and Haryana, witnesses said. At least 29 people were killed in Panchkula town where the court returned its verdict on Singh and more than 200 people were injured in Haryana state. “We tried to prevent the unrest in every possible way, but the protesters were totally out of control,” Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal told Reuters. “All the injured are getting the best treatment in government hospitals,” he said. Dozens of cars were burning in Panchkula town while a bloodied body lay in the middle of a road. About 500 army soldiers were deployed to restore order. “The situation is coming under control,” Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said in New Delhi. Television footage showed frantic scenes outside a hospital in Panchkula, with medical staff hurriedly transferring injured patients from ambulances on to wheelchairs and stretchers. Smoke could be seen rising in another part of town. Singh commands a following that he claims is in the millions, many of them elderly men and women in the countryside, drawn by his social welfare programmes such as medical camps and disaster relief. The court, which held him guilty of rape, set his sentencing for Monday when there could be more protests. He faces a minimum of seven years in prison. Singh, a burly, bearded man who has scripted and starred in his own films, had denied the charges. He had called on his followers through a video message to remain peaceful. A K Dhir, one of his lawyers, said Singh was innocent and his followers had every right to express their outrage. Protests also erupted in Punjab, New Delhi and the neighbouring state of Rajasthan. Supporters of Singh set fire to some buses and two empty train coaches in the capital. Nearly 1,000 members of his Sacha Sauda group were detained. A close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi said central and state officials had been instructed to work round the clock to restore law and order.  “The instances of violence today are deeply distressing. I strongly condemn the violence & urge everyone to maintain peace,” Modi said on Twitter. POWER OF HOLY MEN Some Indian “holy” men can summon thousands of supporters onto the streets. Their systems of patronage and sermons are hugely popular with people who consider the government has failed them. In 2014, the attempted arrest of another guru on murder charges ended with his followers attacking police with clubs and stones. Television channels showed motorcycles, cars and buses in flames in Panchkula as hundreds of police personnel in riot gear watched helplessly. The mob also toppled a TV outdoor broadcasting van, while several news channels said their journalists were targeted. Besides the rape charges, Singh is also under investigation over allegations that he convinced 400 of his male followers to undergo castration, allegations he denies. A variety of reasons have been given for why the men agreed to castration, including promises of becoming closer to god. Singh's two films, "Messenger of God" and its sequel, include sequences in which he fights off villains and tosses burning motorbikes into the air. In his spiritual avatar, Singh dresses in plain white traditional clothes, giving sermons or planting trees. In the movies he dons bejewelled costumes, rides motorbikes and sends bad guys flying.   ....

Published at: 2017-08-26 05:00:05

Bangladesh will need to import around 30 million tonnes of LNG (liquefied natural gas) by 2041 to meet the mounting demand, according to a final report of Bangladesh's Gas Sector Master Plan 2017. Copenhagen-based research firm Ramboll in association with the Geological Survey of Denmark and EQMS Consulting Limited prepared the report for Bangladesh, a senior Petrobangla official told the FE on Thursday. Natural gas production from the country's gas fields will reach its peak to around 2,700 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) this year and then it will start to decline, the report stated. The country's existing gas reserve of around 12 Tcf (trillion cubic feet) will run out by 2038, causing a shortfall unless new gas is discovered, said the report.     azizjst@yahoo.com....

Published at: 2017-08-25 05:00:05