Malaysia offers assistance for Padma Bridge

Malaysia has offered the government to provide assistance for the much-talked-about Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project on easy terms, reports UNB. The preliminary offer came from the visiting Special Envoy of the Malaysian government, Dato Sri S Samy Vellu when he met Thursday Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Gonobhaban official residence. Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters after the meeting. He said the Malaysian envoy requested for providing them the design, other related papers of the bridge and its implementation plan. During the meeting, a detailed discussion was also held on Malaysian investment in various infrastructure development projects in Bangladesh, including low-cost housing and construction of flyovers. The Malaysian offer came at a time when the $2.9-billion Padma Bridge project rant into trouble after its biggest financier, the World Bank, suspended its promised $1.2 billion loan amid allegations of graft in the bidding process.