Muhith rebuffs WB, to make statement in Parliament Monday
Dhaka, June 30 (UNB) – Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Saturday declined to accept the World Bank statement canceling fund for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.
“I think it is not the remark of the World Bank. This is a personal remark of outgoing World Bank President Robert Zoellick,” he said in his official reaction hours after the WB statement canceling fund for the Padma Bridge, the country’s largest-ever infrastructure project.
Muhith said: “The language and the expression used in the statement made by the World Bank, I’ve enough doubt whether it can issue such a statement about any of its member country. We think this statement is totally unacceptable.”
Referring to the efforts made by the government to resolve the impasse, he said the government had taken various extraordinary steps over the last nine months through discussions and exchanging letters in order to dispel doubts about the alleged graft charge.
Sticking to his guns, the Finance Minister said: “No such corruption took place in the Padma Bridge Project till today although Tk 1500 crore had already been spent.”
In the statement, Muhith said he would make a detailed statement in Parliament on Monday over the issue.
Citing corruption concerns, the World Bank formally canceled its US$1.2 billion IDA credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project.
In a strong note on Saturday, the World Bank said it cannot, should not and will not turn a blind eye to evidence of corruption. “We’ve both an ethical obligation and a fiduciary responsibility to our shareholders and IDA donor countries.”
In light of the inadequate response by the Government of Bangladesh, the WB has decided to cancel its US$1.2 billion International Development Association (IDA) credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, effective immediately, the Washington-based development institution said.
“I think it is not the remark of the World Bank. This is a personal remark of outgoing World Bank President Robert Zoellick,” he said in his official reaction hours after the WB statement canceling fund for the Padma Bridge, the country’s largest-ever infrastructure project.
Muhith said: “The language and the expression used in the statement made by the World Bank, I’ve enough doubt whether it can issue such a statement about any of its member country. We think this statement is totally unacceptable.”
Referring to the efforts made by the government to resolve the impasse, he said the government had taken various extraordinary steps over the last nine months through discussions and exchanging letters in order to dispel doubts about the alleged graft charge.
Sticking to his guns, the Finance Minister said: “No such corruption took place in the Padma Bridge Project till today although Tk 1500 crore had already been spent.”
In the statement, Muhith said he would make a detailed statement in Parliament on Monday over the issue.
Citing corruption concerns, the World Bank formally canceled its US$1.2 billion IDA credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project.
In a strong note on Saturday, the World Bank said it cannot, should not and will not turn a blind eye to evidence of corruption. “We’ve both an ethical obligation and a fiduciary responsibility to our shareholders and IDA donor countries.”
In light of the inadequate response by the Government of Bangladesh, the WB has decided to cancel its US$1.2 billion International Development Association (IDA) credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, effective immediately, the Washington-based development institution said.
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