All 2,917 road slabs in place on Padma bridge The Padma bridge project yesterday moved one step closer to completion after the authority finished the installation of all road slabs linking both sides of the Padma river through the roadway. Now it is possible to cross the Padma river by walking across the 6.15 kilometre-long ... Read more
padma bridge project
Muhith skirts Padma Bridge issue
Finance minister AMA Muhith, in his budgetary speech, has not said anything about implementation of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project. He, however, said: “I’m confident that we’ll be able to start construction of the main bridge, as well as river training-related work pertaining to the project during
Tender for PMB project will be floated on June 30
Minister for Communications Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said the tender for construction of main bridge of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project at Mawa-Janjira point at a cost of Tk 9,172 crore will be floated on June 30 this year. He said this at a signing ceremony of giving work order to a construction firm to construct ... Read more
ADB to extend all cooperation for Padma bridge: Muhith
Finance minister AMA Muhith has said that the Asian Development Bank had assured Bangladesh of extending all cooperation, including appointment of consultants, river training and tender processing for the Padma bridge project. ADB president Takehiko Nakao gave Bangladesh the
Govt out to find sources but WB
Padma Funding Govt out to find sources but WB Economists warn it not to hurry into the bridge project The government has decided to approach Bangladesh’s potential bilateral and multilateral development partners other than the World Bank to finance the Padma Bridge project. The finance ministry has instructed the Economic Relations Division to write to potential ... Read more
Govt to float Padma Bridge tender in March, says Muhith
Finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith on Saturday said a tender would be floated in March for construction of the proposed Padma Multipurpose Bridge and the construction was expected to start in two or three months later. ‘As it is one of our election pledges, we have to construct the bridge,’ Muhith told
Curtain drawn on WB Padma episode
An irritated govt withdraws request to review loan cancellation The government has finally decided not to take the World Bank’s loan for financing the Padma Bridge project as it has withdrawn its request to the donor agency to review the cancellation of a $1.2 billion credit, officials said. In a significant development, the government sent ... Read more
ADB follows suit
Asian Development Bank, one of the co-financiers of the Padma Bridge project, has declined to go ahead with the ‘transaction’ following the discontinuation of the Padma Bridge funding by the World Bank. ‘…a discontinuation of funding by the World Bank means ADB is also unable to proceed with
Decision unlikely by Jan
Outgoing WB country chief says govt free to go for alternative Padma funding; feels proud of anti-graft role World Bank Country Director Ellen Goldstein yesterday said she is unsure whether the bank’s decision on the financing of the Padma bridge project would come in a month. She also said the Bangladesh government is free to ... Read more
Let’s now help build bridge fast
Co-financiers to nudge WB to cut bureaucracy in the Padma project The Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency will propose forming a task force for new procurement arrangements for speedy and clean implementation of the Padma Bridge project. Officials of the ADB and Jica — co-financiers of the project — said they will ... Read more
Target clean project
Lenders to gain control for containing corruption, ensuring quality The long-cherished Padma bridge project will now be implemented with a new approach, with donors having more clout in the procurement to ensure quality work and prevent corruption in the project. Donor agencies and the government are now negotiating about various options to this end after ... Read more
Cost to go up by $145m
The cost of the Padma bridge project would increase by around 5 percent or $145.75 million due to a one-year delay in starting construction, an expert said yesterday. The bridge project would now cost $3.06 billion. The construction was supposed to be done by 2015. Now, it will take a year more if
Loss of time, loss of money
Bridge Site Protection Loss of time, loss of money Delay to cost govt Tk 100cr more Delay in the Padma Bridge construction is now forcing the government to spend an extra Tk 100 crore to protect an area of the bridge site from river erosion. The government acquired 76 hectares of low-lying land in Janjira ... Read more
Padma shines
WB revives $1.2b loan after govt meets conditions The World Bank has finally decided to revive its $1.2b loan deal for the Padma bridge project as the government has removed the hurdles to end an impasse over the scheme. In a release on Thursday, the global lender said, “The bank has agreed that, upon satisfactory ... Read more
Muhith keeps all waiting
Padma Bridge Loan Muhith keeps all waiting Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said the decision on the Padma bridge project would be taken after sitting with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Jica. “I too have a decision,” he said without elaborating further. The minister was talking to newsmen at his secretariat office
Graft-talkers are wrong
Abul laughs off allegation at anti-graft office Former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain yesterday claimed that there was no corruption or irregularities in the Padma bridge project. “My conscience is clear and I am clean before the Most Merciful Allah…. Those who are talking about corruption and irregularities in the Padma bridge project are wrong,” ... Read more
WB still silent
Padma Bridge Project WB still silent Co-financier ADB extends time for loan, Jica not yet Since hope is still there regarding the World Bank’s taking the lead in the financing of the Padma bridge project, the Asian Development Bank has extended its loan effectuation deadline by another month. Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), another partner ... Read more
ACC to quiz Abul
Padma Graft ACC to quiz Abul The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will quiz former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain on September 3 on the alleged corruption and irregularities regarding appointment of a consultant for the Padma bridge project. The ACC issued a notice on Sunday asking him to appear before its two-member investigation
Mashiur must go
Padma Bridge Loan Revival Mashiur must go WB may tell govt today if it can give time until primary probe into graft allegation completes; US envoy upbeat; Muhith tight-lipped Mashiur Rahman, adviser to the prime minister, has to resign to meet the conditions the World Bank has laid down to revive its credit for Padma ... Read more
‘Donation’ frenzy at govt offices
Padma Bridge Project ‘Donation’ frenzy at govt offices Commotion brews as some ministries go hyper-active Some overzealous top officials have taken initiatives to collect donations from staffs at different ministries for the stalled Padma bridge project even though the government has yet to issue any instructions to that effect. The science and technology ministry high-ups ... Read more