Hasina says she would expose people behind it

PM has expressed her resolve to investigate into the alleged corruption in awarding the contract for supervising of Padma project as well as find out the ‘real culprits’ who had influenced the WB to cancel its credit for the infrastructure project. ‘We would not spare those behind the cancelling the WB fund...we are determined to find out the real culprits,’ Hasina said while speaking at the council session of the US chapter of Bangladesh Awami Swechhasebak League at Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York Monday night. Referring to her meeting with the new president of the World Bank at a programme in New York, Hasina said she welcomed the bank’s reengagement with Padma Bridge construction. She also informed him of her resolve to carryout a full-scale investigation into corruption allegation brought by World Bank. ‘We welcome the decision of the World Bank. But I have told the World Bank president that I also want fully inquire into the matter. I want to know why the previous funding was cancelled and want to know the real story behind the cancellation of the fund,’ she said. Hasina who is in New York to attend the 67th UN general assembly session said that her government had decided to build the bridge with domestic resources after the WB cancelled its funding. ‘When we finalised everything, the World Bank has returned to fund the bridge,’ she said. The prime minister said the Anti-Corruption Commission was carrying out its inquiry independently. She told the World Bank to engage its people in helping the inquiry. Without mentioning the name of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Hasina said one individual just for holding the post of managing director of a bank had influenced the World Bank to cancel the funding. Hasina said she did not want to mention the name of the individual as everybody knew about him. She said that the individual wanted to continue as the managing director of the bank though he is well past the retirement age. She said Awami League never patronized corruption, and the question of its involvement in corruption in the Padma Bridge Project was beyond imagination. Hasina said that the World Bank had stopped funding road and bridge construction in 2005 when BNP was in power because of corruption. On assuming office, Hasina said, her government took the initiatives to bring the World Bank back to funding construction and reconstruction of the country’s roads and bridges. Hasina said that during its tenure in office BNP indulged in corruption, money laundering, making black money and looting public wealth. She asked Khaleda Zia why she was not facing trial in Zia Orphanage Case. Khaleda knows that the truth would come out if she faces questions from lawyers, said Hasina.  The prime minister assured Bangladeshis living in America that her government would complete the trial of the war criminals. Chaired by the USA chapter Awami Swechhasebak League convener Mahiuddin Dewan the session was addressed by foreign minister Dipu Moni, AL organising secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, ASL president Molla Mohammad Abu Kawser, general secretary Pankaj Devnath, USA AL chapter president Siddiqur Rahman and general secretary Sajjadur Rahman Sajjad.

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