Nalua-Baherchar Bridge Project

Nalua-Baherchar Bridge Project Overview

The Nalua-Baherchar Bridge is a bridge construction project connecting Nalua and Baherchar in southern Bangladesh. It is designed to establish river-crossing transport infrastructure for the coastal belt, with the dual objective of improving logistics efficiency and stimulating local economic activity.

Much of southern Bangladesh is fragmented by numerous rivers and still depends heavily on ferries for mobility. The bridge is intended to reduce ferry dependence and secure an all-weather transport link across the corridor.

Nalua-Baherchar

Project

New bridge

1.5km+

Total Length

Main bridge

$200M+

Project Cost

Estimated

RHD/LGED

Employer

Roads/local engineering

ADB/GoB

Financing

Multilateral + government

4 lanes

Lanes

Two-way traffic

42 months

Duration

Planned

Ferry replacement

Objective

All-weather link

Project Scope

Nalua-Baherchar Bridge Project Scope

Component	Details	Scale	Method	Remarks
Main bridge	River crossing	0.8km	PC box girder	Main span 80m+
Approach bridge	Low-water section	0.7km	PC girder	Soft ground
Approach roads	Connections on both sides	4km	Asphalt	Four lanes
Substructure	Piers and foundations	15+	PHC piles	Soft soil treatment
Ancillary works	Lighting and protection	-	-	Safety facilities

Technical Challenges

Site Environment Challenges

GroundSoft alluvial soil (30m+ depth)

Tides3m+ tidal range (coastal proximity)

MonsoonConstruction limits from Jun-Sep

AccessibilityInsufficient material haul roads

Construction Challenges

FoundationPHC piles φ600 (40m+ depth)

GirdersWaterborne transport of PC box girders

ScheduleDry-season intensive execution required

MaterialsRemote-site procurement logistics

Ferry Replacement Effect

Current Situation (Ferry Operation)

Operating Hours07:00-18:00 (daytime only)

Travel Time2+ hours incl. waiting

MonsoonFrequent suspensions (40+ days/year)

FareBDT 500+ per vehicle

After Bridge Completion

Passage24-hour all-weather access

Travel TimeWithin 10 minutes

Monsoon ImpactNone

Logistics Cost70% reduction

Participation Opportunities for Korean Companies

Bridge EPC Construction

The Nalua-Baherchar Bridge is a mid-scale bridge project of more than 1.5km on soft ground, making it well suited to Korean bridge engineering capabilities such as PC box girder and PSC girder construction. Korean experience in local river bridge delivery can serve as a useful reference, and success here could lead to follow-on awards on similar southern Bangladesh bridge projects.

Soft Ground Foundation Works

Installing PHC pile foundations in deep soft alluvial ground exceeding 30 meters requires specialized technical expertise. Korean foundation contractors can participate in pile driving and construction management while exporting pile driving equipment and quality inspection technologies as an integrated package.

Bridge Equipment Exports

Korean firms can manufacture and export bridge equipment such as PC girders, bearings, expansion joints, railings, and lighting systems. The quality of Korean bridge components meets international standards and can be supplied to multiple bridge schemes in Bangladesh.

Approach Roads and Ancillary Facilities

Korean contractors can also take part in the construction of the 4km approach roads and ancillary facilities such as lighting, drainage, and safety systems. Participation through a bundled bridge-and-access-road package would improve bidding competitiveness.

Project Participation Flow

Nalua-Baherchar Bridge Participation Process

Project Info

ADB and RHD

→↓

PQ Submission

Bridge track record

→↓

Bid

Technical + price

→↓

Construction

42 months

→↓

Maintenance

5-year O&M

The Nalua-Baherchar Bridge is a strategic infrastructure project that addresses ferry dependence on southern river crossings in Bangladesh. It presents a concrete opportunity to apply Korean bridge construction technologies and related equipment in a high-impact transport corridor.

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Nalua-Baherchar Bridge Project