No proof of Padma Bridge graft : ACC

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FE Report
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found the World Bank's allegation against the former communications minister that he engaged his firm in the bidding process of the Padma Bridge project is not true and said documents and statements found no proof of it.
"ACC does not think any corruption was committed in the pre-qualification bidding process of the main construction work of the Padma Bridge project," ACC chairman Golam Rahman told journalists Thursday.
He said ACC has reached the conclusion after reviewing, evaluating and examining the report of its inquiry officer.
"There is no justification for proceeding with the investigation further," the ACC chief said.
The anti-graft watchdog organised the press briefing at its conference room after evaluating and scrutinising the report of its inquiry officer (IO). The IO submitted the report to the commission on January 26 after almost three months of investigation.
The chairman said the ACC has already shared the synopsis of its report with the Integrity Vice President of the World Bank (WB) Thursday adding that if the coordinating financier of the multi-donor Padma Bridge project provides the ACC with more credible information and data, it will re-examine the allegation.
"The World Bank has so far not found the ACC process of investigation wrong or suggested any new process to conduct it to prove their allegation," the chairman added.
"If the World Bank gives any tangible proof of the allegation of corruption in the pre-qualification bidding process, ACC will be ready to reopen the investigation," he added
When asked about the allegation which may have been put by any quarters to the World Bank, Golam Rahman said any of the disqualified companies in the main bridge pre-qualification bidding might have caused the loss to the country by placing the allegation.
The ACC chairman said, in the present circumstances there was no scope on the part of the ACC to file any case against a private company.
The chairman said ACC was yet to complete the investigation into the corruption charge in the selection process of supervising consultant to the $ 3.0 billion project.
He said ACC, through the Attorney General's Office, had sought the Canadian police support to investigate into the allegation but it had yet to receive any reply from it.
Canadian authorities on September 3 launched investigation into corruption charges against employees of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc, one of the engineering firms bidding for the bridge project, after the World Bank's anti-graft unit informed of its concerns over violations of Canadian law.
The project to build Bangladesh's longest bridge ran into troubled waters after the global lending agency blocked funds in October last year claiming that there were corruption in river dredging, appointment of consultants and selection of pre-qualified contractors in the project.
On Oct 17 last year, following the government's order, ACC assigned its deputy director Jainul Abedin Shibli and assistant director Mirza Zahidul Alam to probe the global money lender's corruption allegations regarding preliminary selection and appointment of consultants and contractors.
At the briefing on the report's findings, the ACC chairman said they have reviewed the pre-qualification bidding documents, reports of the eight- member technical evaluation committee of Bangladesh Bridge Authority and interviewed people including former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, committee head Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, member Ainun Nishat and examined the letter sent by the minister's firm SACHO.
The IO also examined the documents of the companies that participated in the pre-qualification bidding, both qualified and non-qualified companies, and found that local representative of China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation Mohammad Helal Uddin had sent a letter to the Project Director of Padma Multipurpurpose Bridge Project on August 2, 2010 tagging a letter of Executive Director (development) of SACHO International Limited Khandaker MN Islam which was sent to the China Railway 15 Group on July 28, 2010 giving assurance of assistance in getting works in the project.
However, the MN Islam refused that he had sent the letter and alleged that his signature was superimposed or fabricated or copied. Helaluddin later told the IO of ACC that he received the letter from the principal company. Overseas project in-charge of China Railway 15 Bureau Wu Xiangdong later told the ACC that they have not received any letter from SAHCO Interntaional or any person named Khandaker MN Islam.
The ACC chairman said the China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation was disqualified in the short-list because of its showing incomplete bridge as complete to show their experience in work.
The Padma Bridge on Mawa-Jajira points was to be co-financed also by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The World Bank is the coordinator of the four lending agencies with a commitment to provide $ 1.2 billion.
The government signed agreements with World Bank for $1.2 billion loan, Asian Development Bank for $615 million, JICA for $400 million and IDB for $140 million. The government was to put together the rest of the fund.