Name those involved in Padma project graft: BNP
Dhaka, July 8 (UNB) – Criticising the Prime Minister for what he said siding with those charged with corruption by the World Bank, BNP front-ranking leader Khandker Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday demanded that the names of those involved in the Padma Bridge project graft be made public.
“The Prime Minister knows who are behind the Padma Bridge graft, but she doesn’t take any action against them…the government has to make public the names of the culprits,” he told a discussion.
Hridoye Bangladesh, a pro-opposition platform, organised the discussion, titled ‘Annulment of Padma Bridge Loan Deal and Role of Bangladesh’ at the National Press Club.
Addressing the programme, Mosharraf, also a BNP standing committee member, said the Prime Minister also knows it is not possible to build the Padma Bridge without funds from the global lenders, but she is speaking about building the bridge with own financing only to make people confused.
He urged the government to take action against those involved in corruption in the light of the WB’s suggestion to revive the scrapped deal.
The BNP leader went on: “The World Bank had sent letters to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister twice after being sure about the graft in the project. But they didn’t take any action. Now the Prime Minister is giving her cellphone numbers and e-mail address to people as a dirty trick to hush up the corruption.”
He said the corruption is spreading across the country as the government tries to hide the malpractice instead of taking action against the culprits. “Those who indulged in corruption in the last three and a half years and looted public money will be tried if BNP is voted to power.”
The World Bank annulled a $1.2 billion credit for the Padma Bridge project recently, saying it has "credible evidence" of a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladesh government officials.
The global lender said it had provided evidence of corruption from two investigations into the Padma Bridge project to the Prime Minister and other senior government officials in an effort to press for action.
“The Prime Minister knows who are behind the Padma Bridge graft, but she doesn’t take any action against them…the government has to make public the names of the culprits,” he told a discussion.
Hridoye Bangladesh, a pro-opposition platform, organised the discussion, titled ‘Annulment of Padma Bridge Loan Deal and Role of Bangladesh’ at the National Press Club.
Addressing the programme, Mosharraf, also a BNP standing committee member, said the Prime Minister also knows it is not possible to build the Padma Bridge without funds from the global lenders, but she is speaking about building the bridge with own financing only to make people confused.
He urged the government to take action against those involved in corruption in the light of the WB’s suggestion to revive the scrapped deal.
The BNP leader went on: “The World Bank had sent letters to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister twice after being sure about the graft in the project. But they didn’t take any action. Now the Prime Minister is giving her cellphone numbers and e-mail address to people as a dirty trick to hush up the corruption.”
He said the corruption is spreading across the country as the government tries to hide the malpractice instead of taking action against the culprits. “Those who indulged in corruption in the last three and a half years and looted public money will be tried if BNP is voted to power.”
The World Bank annulled a $1.2 billion credit for the Padma Bridge project recently, saying it has "credible evidence" of a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladesh government officials.
The global lender said it had provided evidence of corruption from two investigations into the Padma Bridge project to the Prime Minister and other senior government officials in an effort to press for action.
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