Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has questioned the World Bank's action of suspending funds for the Padma bridge project and said the government will approach other countries for securing funds.
Calling the global lender's action unreasonable, she told journalists on Saturday, "We will approach other countries (for funding and construction work) and hold government-level talks with whichever country comes forward to fund the project. No matter which country funds the project, they will get their money back."
The prime minister was briefing the media at her official residence Ganabhaban on her achievements during the recent tour of Myanmar and Indonesia.
In October this year, the World Bank suspended its promised $1.2billion funding for the much-hyped Padma bridge project following allegations of corruption in river dredging, appointment of consultants and selection of pre-qualified contractors.
The prime minister said, "Work was given to a Canadian firm. After they [World Bank] raised allegations, the former minister asked Anti-Corrpution Commission to investigate.
"But when the Commission asked the World Bank for information, they failed to provide any. They said, ask the Canadian firm, and the firm asked why would they supply the information?"
"How could this be a basis for freezing the funds?" she threw a poser.
Refuting allegations of corruption in no uncertain terms, Hasina said, "How can corruption happen when the money was not even disbursed?"
"The World Bank will have to prove the corruption allegations," she said at the hour-long briefing that started at 5:10pm.
"The bridge will be constructed even if it takes another 10, 20 or 50 years," the prime minister asserted.
ALTERNATIVE FUNDING
She also dropped hints of weighing some other options to meet the cost of the biggest infrastructure project of the country.
"Most of the big projects of this magnitude are being executed under Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement," she said.
"In fact, this government has given out most of the projects to the private sector," she added, to substantiate her contention.
NEW MINISTERS
On inclusion of new ministers and shuffle in portfolios, Hasina said, "Changing ministers is a routine work. They haven't been shuffled for corruption."
Pointing out that there is a new communications minister in the office, she added, "Appointment of the new minister will help the World Bank to carry out its investigation. Now, they (the World Bank) will have to prove where it found corruption and what is its worth."
Prime minister Hasina expanded her cabinet a third time on Nov 28 and appointed veteran Awami League leaders Obaidul Quader and Suranjit Sengupta as new ministers.
Suranjit was given the railway ministry carved out of the communications portfolio, which Quader got by replacing Syed Abul Hossain, who moved to the another new ministry for information and communication technology.
The shuffle was effected amid criticism of Abul Hossain over poor condition of roads and highways, and corruption allegations raised by the global lender.
Apart from this change, Jatiya Party presidium member G M Quader became the new commerce minister, while his civil aviation ministry went to Faruk Khan who was also criticised for advising countrymen to 'eat less' to offset rising commodity prices.
In addition to the from the new ministers, local government minister Syed Ashraful Islam, agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, foreign minister Dipu Moni and information minister Abul Kalam Azad were also present at the media briefing.
The prime minister returned home on Friday afternoon from her five-day visit to Myanmar and Indonesia.
Calling the global lender's action unreasonable, she told journalists on Saturday, "We will approach other countries (for funding and construction work) and hold government-level talks with whichever country comes forward to fund the project. No matter which country funds the project, they will get their money back."
The prime minister was briefing the media at her official residence Ganabhaban on her achievements during the recent tour of Myanmar and Indonesia.
In October this year, the World Bank suspended its promised $1.2billion funding for the much-hyped Padma bridge project following allegations of corruption in river dredging, appointment of consultants and selection of pre-qualified contractors.
The prime minister said, "Work was given to a Canadian firm. After they [World Bank] raised allegations, the former minister asked Anti-Corrpution Commission to investigate.
"But when the Commission asked the World Bank for information, they failed to provide any. They said, ask the Canadian firm, and the firm asked why would they supply the information?"
"How could this be a basis for freezing the funds?" she threw a poser.
Refuting allegations of corruption in no uncertain terms, Hasina said, "How can corruption happen when the money was not even disbursed?"
"The World Bank will have to prove the corruption allegations," she said at the hour-long briefing that started at 5:10pm.
"The bridge will be constructed even if it takes another 10, 20 or 50 years," the prime minister asserted.
ALTERNATIVE FUNDING
She also dropped hints of weighing some other options to meet the cost of the biggest infrastructure project of the country.
"Most of the big projects of this magnitude are being executed under Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement," she said.
"In fact, this government has given out most of the projects to the private sector," she added, to substantiate her contention.
NEW MINISTERS
On inclusion of new ministers and shuffle in portfolios, Hasina said, "Changing ministers is a routine work. They haven't been shuffled for corruption."
Pointing out that there is a new communications minister in the office, she added, "Appointment of the new minister will help the World Bank to carry out its investigation. Now, they (the World Bank) will have to prove where it found corruption and what is its worth."
Prime minister Hasina expanded her cabinet a third time on Nov 28 and appointed veteran Awami League leaders Obaidul Quader and Suranjit Sengupta as new ministers.
Suranjit was given the railway ministry carved out of the communications portfolio, which Quader got by replacing Syed Abul Hossain, who moved to the another new ministry for information and communication technology.
The shuffle was effected amid criticism of Abul Hossain over poor condition of roads and highways, and corruption allegations raised by the global lender.
Apart from this change, Jatiya Party presidium member G M Quader became the new commerce minister, while his civil aviation ministry went to Faruk Khan who was also criticised for advising countrymen to 'eat less' to offset rising commodity prices.
In addition to the from the new ministers, local government minister Syed Ashraful Islam, agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, foreign minister Dipu Moni and information minister Abul Kalam Azad were also present at the media briefing.
The prime minister returned home on Friday afternoon from her five-day visit to Myanmar and Indonesia.
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