Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam stated that removing soil near the pillars of the Padma Bridge poses no risk to the structure. He said he personally inquired about the matter and consulted with army engineers and experts involved in the bridge project. Based on their assessment, the soil removal is necessary to maintain the river’s natural flow, navigability, environmental balance, and water movement, as outlined in the feasibility study. The minister made these remarks on Thursday at a dialogue organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat media center.

During the same event, Sheikh Robiul Alam also announced plans to form companies comprising bus owners for each route in Dhaka’s public transport system. He explained that the current system, where multiple private owners operate separately on the same route, creates unhealthy competition and disorder. The new approach aims to bring discipline by ensuring that buses operate under unified management and follow designated terminals and stops.