DHAKA NEWS
Dhaka, Apr 9 Opposition BNP has asked prime minister Sheikh Hasina to resign claiming that the World Bank has found proof of corruption in the Padma bridge project.
BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the demand on Monday referring to World Bank's temporary ban on a unit of Canadian company SNC-Lavalin over alleged irregularities in the bidding of Padma Bridge Project.
"After World Bank suspended funding, the prime minister claimed that there was no corruption in Padma Bridge Project," Mirza Fakhrul said.
"Now the World Bank ban on a Canadian company proves corruption in Padma project," he said adding, "Hence we demand prime minister's resignation."
Fakhrul said the demand came from BNP's National Executive Committee meeting that concluded on Sunday in Dhaka.
BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was addressing a press conference at the party headquarters at Naya Paltan.
The World Bank launched an investigation of the bidding process of Padma Bridge Project last September. A contract to build the bridge has not been awarded.
But the row over alleged corruption has led to suspension of funding by the Washington-based lender for the crucial project.
An international consortium, led by the World Bank, last year agreed to lend Bangladesh up to $2.9 billion for the 6-km (4-mile) bridge over the river Padma to link the country's underdeveloped south with its capital, Dhaka.
A few months after the World Bank's suspension of funding, the government removed then communication minister Abul Hossain and gave him the charge of ICT ministry.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by communications minister Obaidul Quader went to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia on construction of Padma bridge.
The Malaysian government in February expressed its interest in constructing the country's largest infrastructure project.
However, finance minister A M A Muhith is still hopeful of World Bank funding for the project.
BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the demand on Monday referring to World Bank's temporary ban on a unit of Canadian company SNC-Lavalin over alleged irregularities in the bidding of Padma Bridge Project.
"After World Bank suspended funding, the prime minister claimed that there was no corruption in Padma Bridge Project," Mirza Fakhrul said.
"Now the World Bank ban on a Canadian company proves corruption in Padma project," he said adding, "Hence we demand prime minister's resignation."
Fakhrul said the demand came from BNP's National Executive Committee meeting that concluded on Sunday in Dhaka.
BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was addressing a press conference at the party headquarters at Naya Paltan.
The World Bank launched an investigation of the bidding process of Padma Bridge Project last September. A contract to build the bridge has not been awarded.
But the row over alleged corruption has led to suspension of funding by the Washington-based lender for the crucial project.
An international consortium, led by the World Bank, last year agreed to lend Bangladesh up to $2.9 billion for the 6-km (4-mile) bridge over the river Padma to link the country's underdeveloped south with its capital, Dhaka.
A few months after the World Bank's suspension of funding, the government removed then communication minister Abul Hossain and gave him the charge of ICT ministry.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by communications minister Obaidul Quader went to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia on construction of Padma bridge.
The Malaysian government in February expressed its interest in constructing the country's largest infrastructure project.
However, finance minister A M A Muhith is still hopeful of World Bank funding for the project.
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