Dhaka: Former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury said like Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he is also in favour of taking legal step against the World Bank (WB) over Padma Bridge issue.
“But I’ve not yet taken any decision personally in this regard,” he said.
Following Sheikh Hasina’s recent remark that persons affected by the case filed in Canadian court after the cancellation of World Bank loan for Padma bridge can sue the loan provider, one of the affected persons Abul Hasan made the reaction on Saturday night in an interview with banglanews.
Welcoming the comment of PM Sheikh Hasina he told that the government can sue WB of its own.
However he told that Bangladesh will be benefited if WB expressed ‘sorry’ for their mistakes and again start funding the bridge project.
Through this move WB can admit their mistakes and rectify the allegations were baseless, opined Abul Hasan Chowdhury.
WB cancelled the funding of 120 crore dollars to the Padma bridge project worth 291 crore dollars when WB assumed that the Canadian company SNC-Lavalin was engaged in bribery to get the work of appointing consultants against their own two officials. When the allegation was raised WB cancelled the funding agreement of 120 crore dollars in the 291 crore dollars big project. A case was filed in a Canadian court.
On the ground of that graft case in the court, the then Communication Minister of Bangladesh Syed Abul Hossain had to relinquish his post. PM’s Economic Adviser Dr. Mashiur Rahman was sent on forced leave. Former Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Chowdhury and the bridge Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain were grilled by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
The whole 2012 gave birth to thousands of dramas affecting the implementation of Padma bridge.
On charge of allegation a total 29 people were grilled by ACC. But all allegations now stand false and baseless in the Canadian court.
Abul Hasan Chowdhury told that from the very first day I have been telling that these are false and manufactured which is crystal clear that contains in the report of ACC.
He termed the former Communication Minister as an ‘unadulterated gentleman’ and expressed his sorrow for harassing him.
The media that regularly published the charges of allegation accusing us now do not write any thing now. This is a matter of regret those media if would have come to us and made queries about the incident then it would have been better but still I believe the freedom of media.
Abul Hasan commented that let Allah teach them right thing and expect that in future no one gets so much mental torture.
However he thinks that after so many incidents the WB should be given opportunities. If the Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit takes initiative then positive result may come out.
Abul Hasan added that ‘I want to extend thanks to PM Sheikh Hasina whose firmness and for solid stand we are relieved from the false allegation and Bangladesh is free from the International conspiracy.’
BDST: 1250 HRS, FEB 19, 2017
SJN/SMS
