BANGLADESH NEWS
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the government had not moved away from its decision to build the Padma bridge with own fund.
She said if the World Bank finances the Padma bridge project that they would do on their own judgment.
"Let them decide. We have not moved away [from the initiative to build the bridge with own fund]. We will not back off."
"Padma bridge will be built with own fund. Our initiative is on," Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday in London.
The Prime Minister was talking to the local journalists of Bangladeshi origin at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London.
She reiterated her government's 'firm stand' to build Padma bridge. "We are not going backwards. We don't beg. We take loans."
"Whether World Bank comes or not we will build Padma bridge. We have the preparation," Hasina added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced constructing Padma bridge with own fund after the World Bank on Jun 29 cancelled its pledged $ 1.2 billion credit for the Padma bridge project claiming that the Bangladesh government had failed to meet its four conditions, one of which was sending those linked to the alleged corruption on leave pending the investigation.
The government refuted the Washington-based lender's allegations all through.
The National Board of Revenue on Wednesday had said that they were weighing options to levy surcharge as the Cabinet at a meeting on Jul 9 decided to pull together internal resources to fund Padma bridge. The government took decision to open two bank accounts to collect fund for the project – one for Bangladeshis to donate in local currency and another for expatriates do donate in foreign currencies.
On Monday, however, Syed AbulHossain, who was the Communications Minister when the graft charges were made, resigned as Minister of Information and Communications Technology, clearing way for possible negotiations with the World Bank again. Former Bridges Division Secretary MosharrafHossainBhuiya was also sent on leave.
The Prime Minister in London praised the former Communications Minister Syed AbulHossain as he resigned from the cabinet in the wake of raging tension between the government and the World Bank over alleged corruption in the Padma bridge project.
She also mentioned that the World Bank could not provide any evidence regarding the corruption allegation they raised against AbulHossain.
"They (WB) pointed finger at a minister," Hasina said while replying questions from local Bangladeshi community media in London. "He put up advertisements in the media making his points and then submitted resignation letter to me."
"He had not resigned (earlier) because had the guts (to face it), because he is a patriot."
"He [AbulHossain] also wants Padma bridge. You should appreciate, only Awami League could do this," she said.
Hasina said that the World Bank had stopped financing in communications and power sector in 2005 when BNP was in power. "Did the ministers resign at that time?"
On a question of submitting wealth statement of her cabinet members, the Prime Minister said the ministers submit wealth statement to the Cabinet Division every year. She also said that the account of wealth of the ministers can be found in the website of the Election Commission.
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