WB country director to be invited at Padma Bridge inauguration: Quader

The World Bank country director will be invited to attend the inauguration of Padma Bridge set to be held on June 25, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Saturday.

“Who was against the bridge is not a matter. We will invite all political parties, foreign guests and the country director of the World Bank,” Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, said this at a programme in Dhaka while WB Country Director Mercy Miyang Tembon was sitting beside him.

The government began its preparation to make the inaugural programme successful, the Awami League leader said.

On June 29, 2012, the World Bank cancelled its $1.2 billion credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project.

The global lender claimed that it had found credible evidence corroborated by a variety of sources which points to a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials, SNC Lavalin executives and private individuals in connection with the Padma Bridge project.

Later, other development partners including IMF, ADB also had cancelled their credit support following the footstep of the World Bank.