Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has earned the highest toll of Tk838.56 crore from Padma Bridge in 2024.

Executive Engineer of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Abu Saad Niloy told BSS that the toll was collected from 67,36,478 vehicles.

Since opening of the 6.15-km bridge for traffic on 25 June 2022, BBA earned total Tk2,061.97 crore from 1,58,08,968 vehicles, he said.

BBA has so far paid Tk1,577.16 crore in 10 installments to the Finance Division for repayment of the loan given by the government for construction of the mega project.

The Bridges Division on 5 April 2023 began repaying the loan that it had taken as credit for the Padma Bridge construction from the revenue.

“We usually pay four installments per financial year to the government and Tk157.71 crore is given in every installment.

According to the BBA, highest toll collection in a single day was Tk4.80 crore on 14 June 2024 when record number of 44,033 vehicles crossed the bridge.

In the backdrop of withdrawal of the World Bank and other multilateral financial institutions from financing, the government has built the Padma Bridge with its own resources at a total cost of Tk30,193 crore.

Out of that money, the government provided a grant of Tk300 crore while remaining Tk29,893 crore was given as credit at 1% interest rate to BBA.

As per that agreement with the Finance Division on 29 August 2019, BBA will repay the loan in 35 years in 140 installments. 

According to the payment schedule, a minimum Tk634 crore to a maximum Tk1,475 crore should be paid every fiscal.