It was a plot against govt:Daily Star

Terming the allegation of corruption in the Padma bridge project a conspiracy against her government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated that the construction of the bridge will be completed by 2018. She was addressing a Shudhi Samabesh (civic rally) after inaugurating a number of projects for Tungipara and Kotalipara upazilas in the district. Bangladesh has already entered a deal w
ith China Major Bridge Engineering Company Ltd for the construction of the 6.15-km bridge. Without naming any individual or organisation, Hasina said they had spread lies against her government bringing the allegation of corruption in this project. “We challenged it, and now it has been proved their allegation was baseless and intentional,” she added. She said a section of people in the country do not like the government's development activities and always tries to find faults with the government. Television channels and air conditioned rooms are their preferred places to launch criticism on the government, mentioned the PM. “We've allowed those private television channels and helped keeping them alive through providing them with uninterrupted power supply.” Expressing her firm resolve to make Bangladesh a self-reliant country, the PM said Bangladesh would certainly stand on its own feet. On the recent floods in different northern districts, she said her government will construct houses for those who have lost homes in the flooding. Advertisement On her party's electoral pledge to reach electricity to every house, she said her government initiated a massive programme to this end. Under the programme, she said, a nuclear power plant is being constructed and projects have been undertaken for producing power from coal, biogas and 30 lakh solar panels. The government, she noted, has taken numerous steps for creating residential facilities in rural areas. “Gradually, residential flats will be constructed in every union…. A day will come when there will be no thatched houses in the country.” Gopalganj district administration hosted the rally. Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki, and local Awami League leaders spoke, among others. Earlier, Hasina arrived in Gopalganj in the morning on a daylong visit. She inaugurated power connections to 12,000 families of 55 villages under Tungipara and Kotalipara upazilas, Tungipara 5-KVA power sub-station, 30-kilowatt solar panel at Tungipara Upazila Parishad Building, a 39-metre guarder bridge on Razapur Kheyaghat-Jaharerkandi road, a 17- metre RCC guarder bridge on Purba Latenga-Pashchim Latenga road and a 30.05-metre guarder bridge on Bandhabari Union Parishad-Bhai Bhai Bazar road under Kotalipara upazila. She also attended a milad and doa mahfil at the Mazar Complex of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.