The workers were constructing a toilet at a school next to the temple in Faridpur’s Madhukhali Upazila
Certain quarters tried to thwart WB funding for bridging Padma, alleges PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has alleged ‘foul play by vested quarters’ to stop the World Bank funding the Padma bridge project.
Published : 23 Oct 2014, 10:37 AM
Updated : 23 Oct 2014, 02:07 PM
She says the purpose of that ‘certain quarter’ was similar to violent anti-government agitations before the parliamentary election in January.
On a visit to the Ministry of Railways on Thursday, Hasina said, “The [Padma bridge construction] cost shot up due to the inclusion of rail lines. The World Bank came forward when the cost rose and we went ahead to take their assistance.
“Later, [the vested quarters] tried to thwart [the WB financing] by raising various allegations like corruption.”
The Washington-based global lender suspended its $1.2 billion fund raising suspicion of corruption allegations involving high government officials. After much furore, Bangladesh withdrew its funding request in January last year and decided to bridge the Padma with domestic funds.
“It was due to some other reasons (that the World Bank suspended funds), there was no corruption,” the prime minister said. “No-one could prove anything.”
Hasina went on: “The whole thing was politically motivated. This allegation was raised by a quarter with the same purpose as the BNP had when it torched vehicles or trains.
“We have thrown a challenge, we’ll construct the Padma bridge with own funds.”
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