The opposition BNP has said that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project would not be possible without the financial assistance from the World Bank.
Talking to reporters at his party’s Naya Paltan central office, BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Thursday, “The government, on Wednesday, floated an international tender, for constructing the PMB with its own resources. Such effort is nothing but a delirious speech. The bridge will forever remain a dream, without the involvement of the World Bank.”
The BNP acting secretary-general also said that the global lender had withdrawn its funding for the PMB, due to the wayward attitude of the ruling Awami League.
The government had ignored the WB’s funding in the PMB project, only to protect a corrupt party man, he alleged.
It may be pointed out that the government, on Wednesday, had floated international bids for construction of the stalled Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
Communications minister Obaidul Quader told reporters that the tender for the construction of the main bridge would be worth Tk. 100 billion (USD 1.28 billion).
The proposed 25-metre-wide and 10-km-long bridge will be built across the Padma, one of the three major rivers in Bangladesh. About 6.15 kms of the bridge will be over the river, while the remaining parts will rest on the banks.
About the government’s stance on Grameen Bank (GB), Alamgir said Awami League was hatching a conspiracy to destroy the micro-credit institution.
“The government is making efforts to dismantle GB. Founder of the bank Mohammad Yunus has been harassed by the government, ever since he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize,” Alamgir blamed.
GB had a significant role in the empowerment of women in Bangladesh, and the micro-credit institution continue to survive on the spirit of its 84 lakh stockholders, Alamgir added.
“If voted to power in the next general election, we will work towards bringing back GB’s lost image and structure,” Alamgir said. Alamgir assured Mohammad Yunus of providing active support to GB, if BNP came to power after the next general election.
Earlier, Alamgir and Sabiuddin Ahmed had met Mohammad Yunus, on the eve of his achievement as the first Bangladeshi to win the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award of the USA.
-With The Independent input
