Editorial
Japan's help welcome
Contradictory comments should end
We are heartened by Japan's positive response on the issue of taking up the stalled Padma Bridge funding with the Asian Development Bank and other development partners. There has been talk of putting in place a revised proposal that could potentially help get the funding back on track. Japan has been a tested friend of Bangladesh throughout the decades. Any help in renegotiating a new loan project with development partners will certainly be welcome.
In the meantime, we are witnessing strong determination of the government to embark on the building project by mobilising local resources. In this regard, it would be judicious to let the Japanese initiative mature before making a final decision on what resources will be committed to building the most important infrastructural project of recent times. It is also interesting to note that of late, there has been a lot of careless talk on the World Bank's position. The media reports published over the last few weeks point to immature statements being made by individuals holding important public offices. Given the sensitivity of the issue, we certainly need to more circumspective.
While we certainly support the government's message that Padma Bridge must be built. It is however somewhat alarming to witness the beginnings of unregulated money collection efforts being initiated in some points of the country for the building effort. We even have members of parliament pledging to get on this bandwagon. The problems associated with this sort of nationalistic jingoism are obvious. What is there to stop political henchmen to exploit the rising nationalistic fervour and emotional state of the collective in collecting large funds in the name of the nation's development? This could potentially lead to unbridled extortion, unless the government makes every effort to set up proper mechanisms to collect revenue. It is hoped that cooler heads will prevail and we do not end up scuttling a compromise plan initiated by an important development partner with our irresponsible, and at times, contradictory comments.
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