Voicing his high hope that the bidders will respond to the international tender for Padma Bridge Project floated on Wednesday, Finance Minister AMA Muhith expressed his doubt about issuing the work order by December next due to the ‘tight schedule’.
“I hope the bidders will respond, but the tight schedule that we’re following, I’m not sure whether we’ll be able to give the order by this December,” he told reporters answering to their queries at his secretariat office while inaugurating Jalalabad 14-km electricity line through mobile phone.
The Finance Minister said the process for constructing the bridge would continue as government is a continuous matter, no matter who assumes office the next government will take the decision.
“We’re not worried about this as because this is a transparent process as we’re inviting those international consultants who had been selected earlier. No one in the world expects them to have the experiences for constructing such mega project. So, no matter who will form the next government would have to accept this tender,” he added.
He said the government would form a separate foreign currency account of US$ 1.2-1.4 billion at the Bangladesh Bank for bearing the foreign exchange liability of the project so that every contractor is assured that there is enough foreign currency to meet the costs.
-With The Independent input
