Haripur Bridge

Sheikh Russel Bridge (শেখ রাসেল সেতু) or Haripur Bridge (হরিপুর সেতু) is a road bridge built over Gorai river in Kushtia town of Kushtia District. Construction of the bridge began in 2013 and the bridge was opened to the public in 2017.

History
This bridge was a long-standing demand of the people of Hatsh Haripur Union. Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, Member of National Parliament of Kushtia-3 Constituency Mahabubul Alam Hanif promised to build this bridge by giving importance to the demands of the people of Haripur Union.

On December 22, 2013, under the supervision of LGED, Kushtia, the contracting firm Mir Akhtar Associates received the work order for the construction of the bridge. On March 24, 2017, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the bridge.

Nomenclature
The bridge is named after Sheikh Russell, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

However, the bridge is better known as Haripur Bridge in the entire Kushtia District.

Construction cost
71 crore 1 lakh 55 thousand 632 taka were spent to build the Haripur bridge over Gorai river in Kushtia. 9 crore 92 lakh 49 thousand 233 taka were spent on river management along with construction of bridges and 5 crore 28 lakh 32 thousand 147 taka were spent on construction of Apros road.



Horipur
Haripur is an ancient town in Kushtia District. Haripur is known as Old Kushtia to the people of the district.

Importance of Bridge
This Haripur has various ancient monuments and monuments of the British period. Kushtia has many Nilkuthis in Haripur.The population of Hatsh Haripur Union of Kushtia Sadar Upazila of Kushtia District is about lakhs. The Gorai River bisects Kushtia city and Haripur region. Most of the grocers in Kushtia town come from Haripur. When the bridge was not there, the people of Haripur used to travel to Kushtia town by boat crossing through the Ghorar Ghat. At present the bridge is economically important for Kushtia.