Dhaka Times Desk The Padma Bridge issue has come up again. Progress is being made in renegotiating the Padma Bridge loan agreement. According to the news of the newspaper, the government is taking one step after another to break the standards of the World Bank. The procedure for applying for reconsideration has also been notified to the Government. An official letter will be sent by the government in this regard. Preparations for drafting the application are now underway.
It is known that the much-discussed tender call for the Padma Bridge and the responsibility of collecting resources may be missed by the government. In this case, there is a possibility of donor organizations coming into this role. According to sources, the government has taken all kinds of initiatives to overcome the bad situation with the Padma Bridge. Formal and informal discussions with concerned donor agencies are also underway. Abul Hossain's resignation as a minister was accepted as the discussion took a new dimension. Another resignation at the highest level of the government is now being discussed. According to an online news agency, Moshiur Rahman, the Prime Minister's economic advisor, has to step down within this week. And this is also being done according to the conditions of the World Bank. But Dr. Moshiur Rahman told a daily that no one told him anything about his resignation. And these issues cannot be related to the World Bank. According to sources, the World Bank is in favor of sending several people of ministerial rank on leave. But they are not telling their names clearly to the World Bank or the government. However, the desperate government to get this loan is in favor of accepting all the conditions of the World Bank. The first condition is the removal of Abul Hossain from the cabinet. The second condition is the removal or leave of several persons of ministerial rank. And the third condition is to finalize a terms of reference with access to a panel of the World Bank in the investigation process of the Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of corruption. The government has come a long way in fulfilling these conditions. It is said that the ACC will also sign terms of reference in this regard.
It should be noted that the World Bank promised to provide 1.2 billion dollar loan assistance for the construction of Padma Bridge last February. But come June, there is uncertainty about this. Allegations have been made that there is an illegal money transaction proposal with the Canadian company SNC-Lavalin for the construction of the bridge. In view of this complaint, the World Bank withdrew the financing decision. The 6.15 km long Padma Bridge was estimated to cost $2.9 billion. In addition to the World Bank loan of $1.2 billion, ADB agreed to lend $61 million, JICA $40 million, and Islamic Development Bank $140 million. The Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the two other co-financing agencies in the Padma Bridge project along with the World Bank, have extended their loan commitments to August 30. Those concerned say that the government wants an honorable settlement in this matter. Experts believe that there will be a solution in the end.
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