BANGLADESH NEWS
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Akihiko Tanaka is scheduled to leave for Washington Thursday to discuss the Padma Bridge funding issue with World Bank.
The finance minister came up with the disclosure while talking to journalists after a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic and purchase Thursday.
He, “We want the World Bank to reconsider their decision over Padma Bridge funding issue. JICA president will discuss the matter to WB authority.”
Muhith added: “Earlier, we have sent a letter to JICA explaining our position on the issue. I talked to JICA president over the matter on Thursday morning.”
The Awami League lawmaker said, “We will wait for revisiting the decision of the WB regarding the funding. But, the construction work of the multipurpose bridge will be started in the next building session.”
The minister informed that the government is thinking about implementing three procedures in this regard.
They are constructing Padma Bridge by keeping the old structure unchanged if WB reconsiders, requesting the other three organizations to increase their assistance or including any new donor and building the bridge with own fund.
He said, “We could construct the bridge with our own fund within three years as per our present financial condition. The government has allocated Tk 800 crore for Padma Bridge in the current fiscal. If necessary the amount will be increased into Tk 1300 crore.”
Earlier, the World Bank (WB) said, in a statement, there is a little scope to revisit the decision that cancelled the funding to construct the much-talked-about Padma Bridge.
It added the World Bank has a few precedents in its history of reinstating a cancelled loan in other countries, so it is technically possible.”
It added: “However, there is little scope to revisit the decision in the current circumstances, as the Government was unable to agree to two measures deemed important in the conduct of a full and fair investigation into evidence of corruption.”
The finance minister came up with the disclosure while talking to journalists after a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic and purchase Thursday.
He, “We want the World Bank to reconsider their decision over Padma Bridge funding issue. JICA president will discuss the matter to WB authority.”
Muhith added: “Earlier, we have sent a letter to JICA explaining our position on the issue. I talked to JICA president over the matter on Thursday morning.”
The Awami League lawmaker said, “We will wait for revisiting the decision of the WB regarding the funding. But, the construction work of the multipurpose bridge will be started in the next building session.”
The minister informed that the government is thinking about implementing three procedures in this regard.
They are constructing Padma Bridge by keeping the old structure unchanged if WB reconsiders, requesting the other three organizations to increase their assistance or including any new donor and building the bridge with own fund.
He said, “We could construct the bridge with our own fund within three years as per our present financial condition. The government has allocated Tk 800 crore for Padma Bridge in the current fiscal. If necessary the amount will be increased into Tk 1300 crore.”
Earlier, the World Bank (WB) said, in a statement, there is a little scope to revisit the decision that cancelled the funding to construct the much-talked-about Padma Bridge.
It added the World Bank has a few precedents in its history of reinstating a cancelled loan in other countries, so it is technically possible.”
It added: “However, there is little scope to revisit the decision in the current circumstances, as the Government was unable to agree to two measures deemed important in the conduct of a full and fair investigation into evidence of corruption.”
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