Final decision on Padma project funding in July next: Muhith
Dhaka, May 13 (UNB) - Renewing the government’s claim that there was no corruption in the Padma Bridge project, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday said the final decision on funding of the mega project will be taken in July next.
“On Padma, we’ll have to reach a solution or take a final decision by July so that we can begin the work in the next season,” he said while exchanging views in a pre-budget meeting with the editors of print and electronic media at the Finance Ministry.
Expressing his high optimism to begin the construction work on the bridge project next year, Muhith said there would be also a provision in this regard in the next budget, and hoped that the donors would stand beside the government.
Mentioning that the Padma Bridge project has already delayed by one and a half years because of suspicion of corruption, Muhith said, “We’ve no scope to waste time further over such strange plea.”
Referring to the World Bank’s allegation of corruption regarding the Padma project, Muhith said the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has already carried out a preliminary investigation and it found nothing.
Replying to a question, he said the government would consider if there is any alternative specific Malaysian offer regarding the bridge. “We’ll have to pursue the existing offers. If not available then we’ll have to look for others,” the Finance Minister added.
Muhith said the World Bank put forward a report to the government on the Canadian investigation on alleged corruption in last April where it was stated that there might be some possibility of corruption.
The Finance Minister reiterated that there was no corruption in the Padma Bridge project as no money was spent. “There had been spending on land acquisition and there was no complaint. So, there was absolutely no corruption.”
In April last year, the government signed an agreement with the World Bank for a $1.2 billion loan to construct the country's longest bridge. The Asian Development Bank was to provide $615 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency $400 million and Islamic Development Bank $140 million more for construction of the multipurpose bridge.
But, the project got stalled in October last year when the World Bank raised the allegation of corruption in the bidding process.
“On Padma, we’ll have to reach a solution or take a final decision by July so that we can begin the work in the next season,” he said while exchanging views in a pre-budget meeting with the editors of print and electronic media at the Finance Ministry.
Expressing his high optimism to begin the construction work on the bridge project next year, Muhith said there would be also a provision in this regard in the next budget, and hoped that the donors would stand beside the government.
Mentioning that the Padma Bridge project has already delayed by one and a half years because of suspicion of corruption, Muhith said, “We’ve no scope to waste time further over such strange plea.”
Referring to the World Bank’s allegation of corruption regarding the Padma project, Muhith said the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has already carried out a preliminary investigation and it found nothing.
Replying to a question, he said the government would consider if there is any alternative specific Malaysian offer regarding the bridge. “We’ll have to pursue the existing offers. If not available then we’ll have to look for others,” the Finance Minister added.
Muhith said the World Bank put forward a report to the government on the Canadian investigation on alleged corruption in last April where it was stated that there might be some possibility of corruption.
The Finance Minister reiterated that there was no corruption in the Padma Bridge project as no money was spent. “There had been spending on land acquisition and there was no complaint. So, there was absolutely no corruption.”
In April last year, the government signed an agreement with the World Bank for a $1.2 billion loan to construct the country's longest bridge. The Asian Development Bank was to provide $615 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency $400 million and Islamic Development Bank $140 million more for construction of the multipurpose bridge.
But, the project got stalled in October last year when the World Bank raised the allegation of corruption in the bidding process.
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