Construction of Bhairab Bridge

Law not violated

Altaf tells ACC probe body

4 July 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

The construction of Bhairab Bridge was approved in line with the existing law, former commerce minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury told a probe committee of the Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday. No deviation from existing laws or rules was made in approval of the construction of the Bhairab Bridge, said Altaf, also a former member of the cabinet committee on purchase. "Experts examine and verify a project thoroughly before it is produced before the purchase committee for approval," he told The Daily Star. ACC Deputy Director Harunur Rashid along with two officials questioned the former minister at the ACC headquarters with links to the allegation of corruption against former premier Khaleda Zia over the construction of the bridge. The approval was made during the tenure of the previous BNP-led government causing a loss of Tk 100 crore to the state exchequer, according to the allegation. The ACC has already questioned former agriculture minister MK Anwar, ex-communications minister Nazmul Huda and former LGRD minister Mannan Bhuiyan in this connection.