Govt took Padma Bridge challenge to brighten country’s image: PM

Govt took Padma Bridge challenge to brighten country’s image: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh has constructed the Padma Bridge with own financing as her government had taken this challenge to brighten image of the country.
“We’ve done it by the grace of Allah. InshaAllah, we will inaugurate the Padma Bridge on June 25,” she said while speaking at a meeting of Awami League (AL) Advisory Council. The meeting was held at her official residence Ganabhaban.
Sheikh Hasina said it hurts her heart when any slander is hurled against the country and that is why she had taken the challenge to build the much-cherished Padma Bridge with own funds when World Bank went away from financing the project for alleged corruption.
Mentioning that honesty has a different type of power, she said, “I’ve taken this challenge with that power of honest… And I have got the whole hearted support of the country’s people. For this reason, I have been able to construct the Padma Bridge.”
The Prime Minister said that a Canadian court declared all the allegations regarding this project false and baseless.
In this connection, she mentioned that Dr Muahmmad Yunus, just for a post of Managing Director of Grameen Bank, carried out the conspiracy.
“He (Yunus) illegally stayed in the post of Managing Director of Grameen Bank at the age of 71. He lodged a case regarding the matter and lost,” she added.
She further said that World Bank cancelled the funding to the project on his (Dr Yunus) request, and later the Awami League government constructed the Bridge with the country’s own resources that has brightened the image of the country.
Sheikh Hasina expressed satisfaction as her party, the ruling Awami League, has been able to fulfill its election pledges to the people.
Awami League never forgets its election pledge after forming the government, said the party chief. She added, “Every time, while preparing the budget, we evaluate how much progress we have made to implement the election pledges.”
While preparing the budget, she said, the Awami League government considers how to implement the unfinished election pledges.
She said that her government is pulling the country ahead using the modern technology through development from the grassroots level. Recalling the horrible days the people faced after the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975 , the premier said the power was not in the hands of the mass people.