BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has blamed 'corruption in the family of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina' for cancellation of the World Bank fund for construction of the proposed Padma bridge.
"None other than the government and the Prime Minister's family are involved with the corruption in the Padma bridge project," Khaleda said on Saturday while distributing aid among flood-hit people of Chittagong at Bahaddarhat.
"The World Bank has said it won't give money for the project. So, the Padma bridge is not going to be built in the tenure of this government," she added.
The global lending agency on Friday cancelled $1.2 billion (764 million pounds) promised credit for Padma bridge project with immediate effect, saying it had "credible evidence" of a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials.
"In light of the inadequate response by the government of Bangladesh, the World Bank has decided to cancel its $1.2 billion ... credit in support of the Padma multipurpose bridge project, effective immediately," the World Bank said in a statement.
Khaleda said 'long bridges' like those on Jamuna and Bhairab had been built during BNP's tenure with the help of World Bank and other lenders.
"But," she added, "There were no allegations of corruption in those projects."
"The government has started corruption even before the work to build the bridge has started. They are doing this to earn huge amounts of commission," she said.
Khaleda also alleged that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had become a 'subordinate organisation' of the government. "The ACC operates following orders from the government."
"The World Bank had cited specific instances of corruption in the Padma bridge project. But they (government) did not take any step. No step was taken even against the minister involved with the corruption in the project," Khaleda said.
The World Bank in its statement said it had provided evidence of corruption from two investigations into the Padma bridge project to Bangladesh's Prime Minister and other senior government officials to press for action.
The 6-km bridge is meant to link the country's underdeveloped south with the capital Dhaka and the main port of Chittagong.
Then Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain was transferred after the allegations had been brought, though he has been saying that there was no corruption in the project.
After the global lender suspended fund for the project last year, Malaysia expressed its eagerness to build the bridge. Later this year, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bangladesh. On Jun 28, it submitted a draft plan to build the bridge.
Khaleda on Saturday also slammed the government's move to find an alternative funding for the bridge construction.
"Now they (government) are trying to build the bridge [with loans] at high interest rates ... And the high interests will be passed on to the people," she said.
Khaleda, a two-time Prime Minister, also said BNP would build two bridges on the Padma river, one near Mawa and another near Daulatdia, once it returns to power.
"None other than the government and the Prime Minister's family are involved with the corruption in the Padma bridge project," Khaleda said on Saturday while distributing aid among flood-hit people of Chittagong at Bahaddarhat.
"The World Bank has said it won't give money for the project. So, the Padma bridge is not going to be built in the tenure of this government," she added.
The global lending agency on Friday cancelled $1.2 billion (764 million pounds) promised credit for Padma bridge project with immediate effect, saying it had "credible evidence" of a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials.
"In light of the inadequate response by the government of Bangladesh, the World Bank has decided to cancel its $1.2 billion ... credit in support of the Padma multipurpose bridge project, effective immediately," the World Bank said in a statement.
Khaleda said 'long bridges' like those on Jamuna and Bhairab had been built during BNP's tenure with the help of World Bank and other lenders.
"But," she added, "There were no allegations of corruption in those projects."
"The government has started corruption even before the work to build the bridge has started. They are doing this to earn huge amounts of commission," she said.
Khaleda also alleged that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had become a 'subordinate organisation' of the government. "The ACC operates following orders from the government."
"The World Bank had cited specific instances of corruption in the Padma bridge project. But they (government) did not take any step. No step was taken even against the minister involved with the corruption in the project," Khaleda said.
The World Bank in its statement said it had provided evidence of corruption from two investigations into the Padma bridge project to Bangladesh's Prime Minister and other senior government officials to press for action.
The 6-km bridge is meant to link the country's underdeveloped south with the capital Dhaka and the main port of Chittagong.
Then Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain was transferred after the allegations had been brought, though he has been saying that there was no corruption in the project.
After the global lender suspended fund for the project last year, Malaysia expressed its eagerness to build the bridge. Later this year, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bangladesh. On Jun 28, it submitted a draft plan to build the bridge.
Khaleda on Saturday also slammed the government's move to find an alternative funding for the bridge construction.
"Now they (government) are trying to build the bridge [with loans] at high interest rates ... And the high interests will be passed on to the people," she said.
Khaleda, a two-time Prime Minister, also said BNP would build two bridges on the Padma river, one near Mawa and another near Daulatdia, once it returns to power.
0 comments:
Post a Comment