Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday directed the authorities concerned to awake to the challenge of building Padma Bridge as the World Bank cancelled financing the project as provoked by a vested quarter and the United States. “Goaded by a powerful vested quarter as well as the US, the World Bank cancelled the promised funds. Work on the project should be completed quickly so that
none can create any obstacle,” he said. The premier made the comments while addressing officials of communications ministry at the secretariat—the corridors of power. Reminiscing about the past, she said the WB came up with the credit deal after the government had taken the project, but the multilateral lender suddenly cancelled the deal on a corruption charge. “We took the corruption charge as a challenge and asked the agency to provide papers in support of the allegation in the project. The bank failed to provide solid proofs of allegation, but it provided some pages of a diary about getting commission. This was inadequate to prove corruption in the project.” Hasina said, “Work has begun on the major infrastructure project with internal resources. China Major Bridge Company has been given the work order to build the bridge,” she said, adding that the bridge would be completed by 2018. Earlier, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader received the premier and delivered a speech of welcome. Road Division Secretary MAN Siddique, Bridge Division Secretary Khandkar Anwarul Islam and PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury, among others, were present. The leading donor agency stopped financing communications and power sectors because of the BNP regime’s wholesale corruption, Hasina alleged. Unveiling government’s plan to build a Hong Kong-like city ashore the Padma, she directed the authorities concerned to go ahead to make the plan a success. “We can build a new city there. I’ve talked to the finance minister to urbanise the area with a convention centre of international standards, an international fairground and an amusement park.” “The place is only 25 kilometres off zero point. So, we have to go forward with the targets,” the premier mentioned. She noted that Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar are closely discussing modus operandi of a regional road network and economic corridor. “Once the economic corridor is established and road network to Kung Ming ensured, trade will get a great boost,” she said, adding that the government is discussing India, Nepal and Bhutan for mutual cooperation. Hasina hoped that the countrymen could be able to travel by metro rail by 2019 as her government kept some allocation in the current fiscal budget. She directed the authorities concerned to take steps to construct underground railway line in the capital for smooth journey. Hasina said Dhaka-Sylhet highway would be upgraded to a four-lane one and a multipurpose tunnel with road and railway lines be built under the Jamuna to link Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts. “The government has been working to improve communications sector—the key criterion of a country’s development.” “The government has allocated Tk 6,864.08 crore for Road Division and Tk 8,735.25 crore for Bridge Division in the current budget,” the PM said, asking the ministry to put emphasis on proper maintenance of roads along with the construction of new ones. The government has formulated ‘National Coordinated Multimode-based Transportation Policy-2013’, ‘Twenty-year Road Master Plan’ and ‘National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan 2011-13’ for development of the sector. “The government has undertaken 146 projects in the last five years for building a safe and sustainable road infrastructure and modern public transportation system. Of them, 100 were completed and work on the rest is progressing.” Hasina said government is implementing 121 projects, including metro rail, construction of second Kachpur, second Meghna and second Gumti bridges, upgrading Dhaka-Chittagong national highway, Joydevpur-Chandra-Tangail-Elenga national highway and Joydevpur-Mymensingh national highway to four lanes and Eastern Bangladesh Bridge improvement project. The government has already constructed 1,266 kilometres of new roads across the country in the last five years. About 3,000km roads have also been widened and strengthened and 43,000 metres of concrete bridges built. The PM said her government has taken necessary steps to implement Mass Rapid Transit Line-6 from Uttara to Motijheel under Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority. Construction on Elevated Expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway would begin by this September, she hoped. A feasibility study on constructing a tunnel under the Karnaphuli in Chittagong has also been completed. About Tk 5,600 crore would be spent on the project.
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