The eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge will be handed over to the Bangladesh government and inaugurated soon.

Constructed by China Railway 17th Bureau Group Co Ltd and managed by China Railway Major Bridge Reconnaissance and Design Institute Co Ltd, the bridge passed the completion acceptance of the Roads and Highways Department on June 9, according to the Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB).

The formal handover and inauguration of the bridge would take place soon, the CEAB said in a LinkedIn post on June 30.

The 2.96-km bridge over the Kocha River is located 185km southwest of Dhaka in Pirojpur.

Local residents, who now use ferries and boats to cross the river, will benefit immensely once the bridge is opened to traffic, as it would cut travel time to just minutes.

As an important transportation hub project in southwestern Bangladesh, the completion of the eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge had established a connection between Khulna and Barisal divisions by land, the CEAB said.

The bridge would significantly improve local traffic conditions, it added.

The CEAB hoped the bridge would also promote regional connectivity as well as the development of agriculture, industry, aquaculture, fishery and tourism in southern Bangladesh.