WB, ADB, JICA officials arrive in Dhaka soon
Monday, 24 September 2012
FE Report
A couple of teams comprising officials from the headquarters of three Padma Bridge lenders (World Bank, ADB and JICA) will arrive in Dhaka soon to outline a plan on investigation into the alleged corruption in the project and finalise the scheme's implementation modalities.
Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Iqbal Mahmood at a press briefing told reporters that the first team would arrive shortly, which would work with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the second team would arrive within the next couple of weeks to decide on the project implementation modalities.
He said the Bangladesh government had expressed its gratitude to Japan, USA, India and UK for their roles in 'facilitating the financing of the Padma Bridge project by the WB'.
The secretary could not confirm whether the contract with the lenders was going to be signed afresh or the old one would be revived. But he said it was an ongoing project and the government had never stopped the project's work.
"The officials of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the JICA from Washington DC, Manila and Tokyo respectively will shortly arrive in Dhaka to work out the modalities of cooperation in the investigation on the one hand and, on the other, to agree on the modalities and schedule of the project implementation," Iqbal Mahmud said.
The secretary said apart from re-engagement with the Padma Bridge Project, the World Bank at its latest board meeting held on September 20 had approved another US$ 527 million for several other development projects in Bangladesh.
He said the government would work closely with co-financiers in pursuing the investigation into the corruption allegations and in expediting the implementation of the project. Mr Mahmood said the government had declared at the very outset that there would be zero tolerance for corruption in this project.
The Bank's decision to re-engage was the result of twelve months' efforts to convince them of the government's resolve to combat allegations of corruption in cooperation with them, but in accordance with the laws of the country, and to set up a streamlined process for a transparent, efficient and prompt modality for the construction of the bridge
"The government has recently approved National Integrity Strategy (NIS), which further demonstrates its commitment for transparent, accountable and just governance at all levels. The government would like to implement the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project in a way so that it would serve as a demonstration project," the secretary said.
About the benefit of the project, he said the project was a 'transformative development project'. When implemented, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge would provide improved connectivity of the country as a whole, as it would successfully establish a reliable national network of roads and railway for the rest of the country connecting the southwestern part of Bangladesh.
It would serve to unite 16 districts and connect approximately 60 million people, not to mention the direct connection it would form with the second largest port in the country, he said, adding that the construction of the bridge would also result in the regional GDP of 1.6 per cent while increasing the national GDP by 0.6 per cent.
A couple of teams comprising officials from the headquarters of three Padma Bridge lenders (World Bank, ADB and JICA) will arrive in Dhaka soon to outline a plan on investigation into the alleged corruption in the project and finalise the scheme's implementation modalities.
Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Iqbal Mahmood at a press briefing told reporters that the first team would arrive shortly, which would work with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the second team would arrive within the next couple of weeks to decide on the project implementation modalities.
He said the Bangladesh government had expressed its gratitude to Japan, USA, India and UK for their roles in 'facilitating the financing of the Padma Bridge project by the WB'.
The secretary could not confirm whether the contract with the lenders was going to be signed afresh or the old one would be revived. But he said it was an ongoing project and the government had never stopped the project's work.
"The officials of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the JICA from Washington DC, Manila and Tokyo respectively will shortly arrive in Dhaka to work out the modalities of cooperation in the investigation on the one hand and, on the other, to agree on the modalities and schedule of the project implementation," Iqbal Mahmud said.
The secretary said apart from re-engagement with the Padma Bridge Project, the World Bank at its latest board meeting held on September 20 had approved another US$ 527 million for several other development projects in Bangladesh.
He said the government would work closely with co-financiers in pursuing the investigation into the corruption allegations and in expediting the implementation of the project. Mr Mahmood said the government had declared at the very outset that there would be zero tolerance for corruption in this project.
The Bank's decision to re-engage was the result of twelve months' efforts to convince them of the government's resolve to combat allegations of corruption in cooperation with them, but in accordance with the laws of the country, and to set up a streamlined process for a transparent, efficient and prompt modality for the construction of the bridge
"The government has recently approved National Integrity Strategy (NIS), which further demonstrates its commitment for transparent, accountable and just governance at all levels. The government would like to implement the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project in a way so that it would serve as a demonstration project," the secretary said.
About the benefit of the project, he said the project was a 'transformative development project'. When implemented, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge would provide improved connectivity of the country as a whole, as it would successfully establish a reliable national network of roads and railway for the rest of the country connecting the southwestern part of Bangladesh.
It would serve to unite 16 districts and connect approximately 60 million people, not to mention the direct connection it would form with the second largest port in the country, he said, adding that the construction of the bridge would also result in the regional GDP of 1.6 per cent while increasing the national GDP by 0.6 per cent.