Construction to start in current fiscal, no changes in design, he tells JS
Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Monday told parliament that the government would start construction of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge in the current fiscal and complete the project in three years on own funding without changing the design of the bridge.
Muhith, after withdrawing the government’s proposal to the World Bank for funding the project, made the statement informing parliament about the latest developments under rule 300.
The finance minister denied any kind of corruption in the project till date and assured all that no corruption would be tolerated in the construction of the mega project.
Muhith was confident that the bridge would be constructed in three years as preliminary works, including its design and land acquisition, had already been completed.
He said the government would resume work of the project from the point where it had been suspended in September 2011.
The minister said that according to the government’s plan, the construction work should start in the current fiscal and in case it did not start by the first quarter, the project would be delayed by one year.
‘We had decided to begin the work by January but then we realised that the schedule of the World Bank after its return to the project from an initial withdrawal was not matching our schedule. So, on January 31, 2013, we informed the development partners that we would being the work right now and would not wait for World Bank,’ he said.
‘Our development partners can get involved in the project in future,’ Muhith said adding that China, Malaysia and India had shown interests in implementing the project.
He said the government would invite bidding for construction of the bridge from five pre-qualified contractors, bidding for appointing an observer consultant, bidding for river training, and preparing service areas and invite tender for Mawa approach road, and sign contract with the contractor selected for Jazira approach road to be constructed with cooperation of Islamic Development Bank.
‘I find myself fortunate in the twilight of my life to be involved with the construction process of the bridge… We are putting in every effort and making all arrangements for a successful implementation of the project…,’ he said.
He said the Bangladesh economy was strong enough for such a big project, which would start in the next three months.
‘The Bangladesh economy has reached a level that was unthinkable four or five years ago… The construction [of Padma Bridge] requires over Tk 24,394 crore.’
He said domestic revenue this year would cross the target of over Tk 1,39,000 crore. The minister also said the government must enhance its capacity also to engage foreign aid in the changed scenario.
Muhith said the government might slash development projects and increase revenue collection from internal sources to implement the project.
He said the Anti-Corruption Commission was investigating all the
sectors where possibilities of corruption had been alleged. ‘The
development partners are no longer with the project but we are
investigating all their allegations of possibilities of corruption and
will resolve them through investigation,’ he said.
‘The corrupt people should be careful; you will not be spared,’ said Muhith.
Muhith said the Bretton Woods institution had failed to produce enough evidence to prove the corruption charges against SAHCO, a firm owned by the former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain.
The World Bank in September 2011 came up with the allegation that some ‘conspiracies of corruption’ had taken place in the appointment of the consulting firm, SNV Lavalin for the project.
The finance minister said the accused firm Lavalin would be dropped from the bidders for a consultant.
The World Bank sent its expert teams to Dhaka to carry out investigation jointly with the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh into the alleged ‘conspiracies of corruption’.
The bank pressed the commission to indict Syed Abul Hossain and his firm SAHCO—a proposal the ACC ignored.
Courtesy of New Age
