বৃহস্পতিবার, ১২ জুলাই, ২০১২

Bangladeshis in US protest Padma loan cancellation

Bangladeshi expatriates demonstrated in front of World Bank Headquarters in Washington on Wednesday protesting Padma bridge loan cancellation by the bank.During the demonstration organised by US Awami League, its president Siddiqur Rahman submitted a memorandum to a representative of WB President Jim Yong Kim for reconsidering the loan cancellation decision, Prothom Alo reports.The World Bank recently cancelled its $1.2 billion credit for the Padma bridge project, saying it has proof of corruption conspiracy involving Bangladeshi officials, executives of a Canadian firm and individuals.AL leaders and workers from different states and huge Bangladeshi expatriates joined the Wednesday’s agitation.The expatriates said World Bank’s decision to cancel the Padma bridge loan cannot be accepted on any excuse.They were chanting slogan, “credit is our right, not favour”.The agitating AL leaders declared to continue the agitation until the WB reconsiders its loan cancellation decision.Meanwhile, Bangladesh's permanent representative to the United Nations AK Abdul Momen welcomed the government’s decision to build the Padma bridge with its own fund.The staff of Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN declared that they would donate their one day’s salary to the Padma bridge fund.

The announcement cancelling the WB's largest such credit to a member country comes days after Bangladesh rejected the bank's conditions that the government send officials allegedly involved in the corruption on leave until the probe is completed.

The project's work has remained stalled since September last year amid corruption allegations that forced Bangladesh to further engage with the WB in settling the issue and also look for alternative sources of funding for the $2.9 billion project.The proposed 6.2-kilometre (3.8 miles) bridge over the Padma river will connect the capital with the country's 16 south-western districts.Apart from the WB, the Asian Development Bank has pledged a $615 million loan for the bridge's construction. Japan International Cooperation Agency and Islamic Development Bank have also signed agreements with the government to lend $400 million and $140 million, in that order.

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