BNP calls Padma Bridge faulty based on a TikTok video, gets ridiculed by netizens

Photo: Screengrab

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been mocked on social media for deeming the Padma Multipurpose Bridge as "faulty" based on a video of a TikToker removing nuts and bolts from the railing of the bridge. 

"Construction of the bridge is faulty" read a post from  BNP's verified Facebook page on Sunday (26 June) with a screenshot from TikToker Bayzid Talha's video of him removing nuts and bolts from the railing of the Padma Bridge.

However, this post caused a massive uproar on social media with many bringing up  BNP's past track record when the party chief called the move by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to build the bridge with self-funding as a pipe dream.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday (27 June) said that tools were used to open nuts and bolts of Padma Bridge.

Police has also arrested the Tiktoker who removed screws and nuts from the railing of Padma Bridge and uploaded a video of it on. The arrestee Bayezid Talha, has been booked under section 15 (3)/25 of the Special Powers Act 1974 at Padma Bridge North Police Station, said Rezaul Masud, special police super of CID's Cyber Intelligence and Risk Management Department.

"It is not possible to loosen the nuts and bolts of the Padma Bridge without any equipment and by hands alone," the police said.  

Police also said this was an act of sabotage and those who removed the nuts and bolts will be brought under the law.

In 2012, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the construction of the bridge through self-financing after the World Bank refused to fund the project on corruption charges that a Canadian court found had been anchored on flimsy evidence back in 2017.

However, amid the flip flop of the global lending agency, PM Hasina went ahead with the bridge that now emerged as a lifeline for the entire southern region.

One wrote  "with this new attempt it is safe to say BNP faced a major blow on political front for ceaseless smears of corruption centering the bridge. This new turn of lies will further put the credibility of the party in peril and it seems BNP is intent on setting itself back as much as possible."

World Bank also congratulated Bangladesh on the completion of the bridge with its representative attending the inauguration programme. 

In reference to a 2 February, 2018 statement from BNP''s party chief Khaelda Zia where she called this bridge a "pipe dream" another wrote, "with this post, BNP intends to prove Khaleda's pipe dream remark right."

Some youths were seen going live on Facebook from the bridge asking for BNP leaders to make a visit.

"You said this bridge would never become a reality, now come and see", some Bangladeshi netizens said on videos recorded on the bridge. 

Meanwhile, police have arrested two youths for hurting public sentiment with false information on the bridge.

With the opening of the bridge, hundreds of thousands of people have been rushing to get a glimpse of this bridge over the mighty river.

Elated over the remarkable reduction in travel time to reach Dhaka, many southerners acknowledged unanimously PM Hasina's girt to make the dream of this bridge a reality.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (25 June) inaugurated the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. The 6.15km long bridge was opened to the public on 26 June. 

The mega infrastructure has been implemented at a cost of Tk30,193.39 crore with almost 100% internal funding which is believed to bring a new world to the country's economy by connecting 21 southwestern districts through roads and railways with the capital.