Cabinet greets PM over Padma issue

The Cabinet yesterday formally greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for challenging the World Bank asking it to prove the graft allegation in the Padma Bridge project, reports UNB. The Cabinet observed that the country’s image has brightened further in international arena following the dismissal of allegations and recent acquittal of three people by a Canadian court in a case related to the alleged corruption in the Padma Bridge project.
The Cabinet made the observation at its regular weekly meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the Cabinet in an unscheduled discussion highlighted Bangladesh’s position in the ongoing Padma Multipurpose Bridge project.
He said the government had insisted that there was no corruption conspiracy in the Padma Bridge project and challenged the World Bank to provide evidence of corruption.
“But, they (WB) failed to prove their allegation and following this, the image of Bangladesh has further brightened in international arena,” Shafiul said.
The Cabinet Secretary said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting reiterated that there was no corruption in the bridge project saying she herself took it as a challenge and also left the matter up to the World Bank to come up with evidence of corruption. “But, they couldn’t do that.”
Shafiul Alam said the Cabinet was also apprised that for the first time that a Malaysian ship with relief items from a foreign country anchored at the outer anchorage of Kutubdia with sufficient relief materials for the recently intruded Rohingyas now staying in Cox’s Bazar. The Malaysian Prime Minister from his personal initiative sent those relief materials.
He said the relief materials will be brought to the shore through lighterage ships and then those will be distributed among Rohingyas in their Cox’s Bazar camps.
Earlier on Friday, the Canadian court acquitted two former officials of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin and a Bangladeshi-Canadian businessman of the charge of planning to bribe Bangladeshi officials to secure a consultancy contract in the bridge project in which the World Bank was one of the financiers.
Justice Ian Nordheimer of the Ontario Superior Court threw out all wiretap evidence on Friday and rebuked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for its conduct in the investigation, reports the Toronto Star. The three are Kevin Wallace, former vice-president of energy and infrastructure, his subordinate Ramesh Shah, ex-VP of the international division, and Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyan, a dual Bangladeshi-Canadian citizen.
Another accused, former engineer Mohammad Ismail, had been relieved last year after he decided to testify against Wallace and Ramesh. Charges against former state minister Abul Hassan Chowdhury had been stayed previously. The investigation on Bangladeshi side, done by the Anti-Corruption Commission, also dismissed the allegations, which were raised by the World Bank.

Cabinet greets PM over Padma issue

The Cabinet yesterday formally greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for challenging the World Bank asking it to prove the graft allegation in the Padma Bridge project, reports UNB. The Cabinet observed that the countrys image has brightened further in international arena following the dismissal of allegations and recent acquittal of three people by a Canadian court in a case related to the alleged corruption in the Padma Bridge project. The Cabinet made the observation at its regular weekly meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the Cabinet in an unscheduled discussion highlighted Bangladeshs position in the ongoing Padma Multipurpose Bridge project. He said the government had insisted that there was no corruption conspiracy in the Padma Bridge project and challenged the World Bank to provide evidence of corruption. But, they (WB) failed to prove their allegation and following this, the image of Bangladesh has further brightened in international arena, Shafiul said. The Cabinet Secretary said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting reiterated that there was no corruption in the bridge project saying she herself took it as a challenge and also left the matter up to the World Bank to come up with evidence of corruption. But, they couldnt do that. Shafiul Alam said the Cabinet was also apprised that for the first time that a Malaysian ship with relief items from a foreign country anchored at the outer anchorage of Kutubdia with sufficient relief materials for the recently intruded Rohingyas now staying in Coxs Bazar. The Malaysian Prime Minister from his personal initiative sent those relief materials. He said the relief materials will be brought to the shore through lighterage ships and then those will be distributed among Rohingyas in their Coxs Bazar camps. Earlier on Friday, the Canadian court acquitted two former officials of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin and a Bangladeshi-Canadian businessman of the charge of planning to bribe Bangladeshi officials to secure a consultancy contract in the bridge project in which the World Bank was one of the financiers. Justice Ian Nordheimer of the Ontario Superior Court threw out all wiretap evidence on Friday and rebuked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for its conduct in the investigation, reports the Toronto Star. The three are Kevin Wallace, former vice-president of energy and infrastructure, his subordinate Ramesh Shah, ex-VP of the international division, and Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyan, a dual Bangladeshi-Canadian citizen. Another accused, former engineer Mohammad Ismail, had been relieved last year after he decided to testify against Wallace and Ramesh. Charges against former state minister Abul Hassan Chowdhury had been stayed previously. The investigation on Bangladeshi side, done by the Anti-Corruption Commission, also dismissed the allegations, which were raised by the World Bank.