 |
bdnews24.com New York Correspondent
Washington DC, Jul 12 Expatriate Bangladeshis have demonstrated in front of the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC demanding withdrawal of its 'imaginary' corruption allegation and reconsider its loan cancellation decision to resume funding for the Padma bridge project.
The demonstration continued for around four hours from 12pm to 4pm local time on Wednesday (Bangladesh time 2am, Thursday) and they handed over a memorandum addressing the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.
They termed the World Bank decision a 'cruel conduct' against 160 million people of Bangladesh and said 'how corruption can happen in a project where not a single penny has been disbursed'.
Some professionals and social workers joined the rally with members of the Awami League (AL) and its front organisations.
They bitterly criticised the WB for the decision and have alleged that the global lending agency has been dragged into a 'conspiracy' hatched by a quarter who were 'spending huge amount' to foil Bangladesh's war crimes trial.
Members of the Awami League from US states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Michigan camje to join the demonstration.
They were carrying different placards that read, 'World Bank fund is our rights as a member', 'World Bank shall review Padma bridge loan cancellation', 'Padma bridge is for nation's development', Bangladesh wants loan, not infringement of sovereignty', 'Credit is our right – not favour', 'World Bank must review Padma bridge loan cancellation' and chanted slogans.
After the demonstration they handed over memorandum titled 'World Bank (WB) humiliated 160 Million people of Bangladesh based on assumption and without credible evidences' addressing the WB President. A WB official on behalf of the President Jim Yong Kim accepted the memorandum, AL US chapter President Siddiqur Rahman told bdnews24.com.
The memorandum read, "We demand that WB revisit their decision … on refinancing the PBMP [Padma bridge project] … more importantly withdraw their uncorroborated comments on corruption … and wait for the completion of Bangladesh and Canadian effort to unearth the charges of corruption."
WB's Transport and Communications affairs Advisor Dr Anwarul Karim told bdnews24.com that such a demonstration in front of the WB headquarters by the expatriates from a single country was not seen in recent past.
The WB on Jun 29 cancelled its promised $1.2 billion fund for the $ 2.9 billion Padma bridge project alleging corruption.
After this Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced to construct Bangladesh's biggest infrastructure project with own fund and outlined the strategy in the Parliament. The cabinet on Monday took a decision to this end.
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন