A total of 15 bridges in three districts including Khulna, Barishal and Gopalganj will remain toll-free to ensure smooth traffic on June 25, the day when prime minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the Padma Bridge.
A circular, signed by Fahmida Haque Khan, deputy secretary, Road Transport and Highways Division of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges was issued on Thursday in this regard.
The bridges are Khan Jahan Ali Bridge over Rupsa River and Daratana Bridge under Khulna Zone, Doarika-Sikarpur Bridge, Dopdopia Bridge, Gabkhan Bridge, Baleshwar Bridge, Patuakhali Bridge, Sheikh Russell Bridge, Sheikh Kamal Bridge, Sheikh Jamal Bridge and Payra (Lebukhali) Bridge under Barishal Zone and Mollahat Bridge in Gopalganj Zone, Asmat Ali Khan Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, Kalna Ferry and Patgati Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Bridge.
The toll free service will remain in effect only on June 25, the circular added.
The government on June 20, in another circular, announced that tolls for using Buriganga, Dhaleswari and Arial Khan bridges would be waived for all the vehicles on June 25.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority has implemented the 6.15-kilometre road-cum-railway bridge between Mawa point in Munshiganj and Janjira point in Shariatpur to connect the capital with the south and south-western districts of the country.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the bridge on June 25 and it will be open to traffic at 6:00am the next day.