Padma Bridge construction begins: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Monday the government has started the construction work on the billion-dollar Padma Bridge defying all the conspiracies against the government and her family, according to a news agency. The Prime Minister said this in her introductory speech at a joint meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee, Advisory Council and AL Parliamentary Party at her official residence Ganobhaban. Earlier in the day, the government approved the work order for China Major Bridge Engineering Co Ltd for the construction of the country’s largest bridge involving Tk 121.33 billion. Sheikh Hasina said the government has started the construction of the bridge overcoming all the obstacles and conspiracies. “As I said in Parliament, we’ve started the construction (of the bridge) with our own fund.” She said the conspirators had tried to humiliate the government and the country. “But their tremendous ill-efforts have gone in vain, they have failed, we have been successful.” But the Prime Minister did not mention who were behind the conspiracies. Sheikh Hasina said her government’s aim is very clear and that is to make the country self-reliant.