Padma Bridge toll hits Tk3,429cr

The Padma Bridge has generated over Tk3,429 crore in toll revenue in less than four years of operation, marking a major financial and economic milestone while accelerating growth across Bangladesh’s southwestern region.
According to data from the Bridges Division, more than 2.68 crore vehicles used the bridge between its inauguration on 25 June 2022, and 29 June 2026. During this period, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority repaid over Tk2,516 crore to the government in 16 instalments and deposited more than Tk436 crore in Value Added Tax (VAT). 
The figures highlight not only the financial success of the country’s largest infrastructure project but also its growing role in transforming the economy of 21 southwestern districts.
For decades, the Padma River remained a major obstacle to development in the region, with travel to Dhaka dependent on ferry services that were slow, costly and unpredictable. Long queues, transport delays and spoilage of perishable goods were common.
The bridge has significantly changed that reality by cutting travel time and transport costs, benefiting key agricultural products such as rice, jute, vegetables, fish, shrimp, milk, fruits and flowers. Faster delivery has reduced post-harvest losses and helped farmers secure better prices.
Beyond agriculture, improved connectivity has attracted fresh private investment, with new factories, warehouses, cold storage facilities and logistics services gradually expanding across the region.
Tourism has also gained momentum, with easier access to destinations including the Sundarbans, Kuakata and the Sixty Dome Mosque boosting local businesses.