Bangladesh’s Bridges Division has proposed developing two major bridges—the 10.86 km Barishal–Bhola Bridge and the 8 km Shariatpur–Chandpur Bridge—in partnership with private-sector investors under the PPP model, across the Meghna River system in Bangladesh.

The government is planning to develop two major bridges across the Meghna River system to improve connectivity between key districts. The proposed projects comprise a 10.86km bridge connecting Barishal and Bhola and an 8km bridge linking Chandpur and Shariatpur across the Meghna River. At 10.86km, the Barishal–Bhola Bridge would be more than twice the length of the Jamuna Bridge. The project is expected to require an investment of around Tk17,466 crore (US$1.4 billion), significantly below the cost of the Padma Bridge. The proposed bridge over the Meghna River on the Shariatpur-Chandpur route will be nearly double the length of the Jamuna Bridge and is estimated to cost Tk15,957 crore (US$1.28 billion).

At present, vehicles travelling between Chandpur and Shariatpur rely on ferry services to cross the Meghna River. The proposed bridge is expected to improve and shorten road connectivity between Khulna and Barishal and the Chattogram and Sylhet regions, while allowing vehicles to bypass Dhaka. It could also cut the travel distance between Khulna and Chattogram by approximately 90km for traffic originating from the Benapole and Bhomra land ports and the Mongla and Payra seaports, improving regional and freight connectivity.

The Bridges Division plans to complete the Chandpur–Shariatpur Bridge by 2033, by which time the crossing is projected to handle around 10,000 vehicles per day. Meanwhile, a feasibility study for the Barishal–Bhola Bridge, which will span the Tetulia and Kalabadar rivers, was carried out in 2020. The Bridges Division expects the Barishal–Bhola Bridge to be completed by 2032, with daily traffic forecast to reach approximately 5,200 vehicles once it becomes operational.