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Dhaka, July 11 Finance Minister AMA Muhith is still hopeful about the World Bank reviewing its decision to pull out from the Padma bridge project even after the Prime Minister announced the bridge would be built with own fund.
Muhith said the government, however, will not send any letter to the global lender requesting it for a rethink. The government will communicate with the Washington-based bank only if there was a positive response from the the lender.
In an interview with bdnews24.com Muhith talked about the latest stance the government took regarding the global lender's decision to cancel a $1.2 billion loan for the $2.9 billion project.
"I think they have been indecent by cancelling the loan agreement. They will obviously understand their mistake and review their decision. I hope they will come up with some positive information within this month," said Muhith.
"We will not send any letter requesting the World Bank to reconsider the decision. But our Alternate Executive Director (Qazi Aminul Islam) in Washington is holding talks with top World Bank officials including its newly appointed President.
"We will also be holding talks with the bank's Country Director in Bangladesh," the Finance Minister added.
On Jun 29, the World Bank cancelled the fund it had pledged for the proposed bridge, raising allegations of corruption in the project.
Bangladesh had engaged in discussion with Malaysia after the global lender suspended funding for the project in September.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia was signed on Apr 10 and the Southeast Asian nation sent a draft proposal on Jun 10 to sign a final deal.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Jul 8 said the construction of Padma bridge would begin this very fiscal as she outlined in Parliament the strategy to execute the project with own funds.
The World Bank's Resident Representative in Dhaka Ellen Goldstein is currently in Washington.
"I hope Qazi Aminul Islam will hold talks with Goldstein there. We will also sit in discussions with him once he comes back to Dhaka," Muhith added.
Muhith claimed although the World Bank suspended its funding for the Bangladesh's largest infrastructure project, the other three donors, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank (IDB) did not change their stances.
"We have communicated separately with all the three donors and they have said they are with us," he said.
Muhith said the three donors will also make a combined effort to get the World Bank to fund the project.
Soon after World Bank cancelled its funding, the ADB issued a statement saying it would be forced to cancel the loan deal as both lenders "follow similar policies, rules and procedures".
However, JICA and IDB did not pull out of the project.
"Be it ADB, IDB, JICA, UK, India or the US … all are with us," he had told reporters after attending a meeting of the Deputy Commissioners on Tuesday.
"I have said it earlier and I am saying it again no corruption happened in the Padma bridge project. The World Bank has made the allegation apprehending corruption," he added.
JICA was supposed to give $ 400 million for the project. ADB pledged $ 610 million and IDB promised $ 140.
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