Editorial
Cutting down on unnecessary rhetoric
Further misunderstanding with World Bank undesirable
The World Bank (WB) in a press release dated September 25 stated that Bangladeshi high government officials have misrepresented WB's position on waiving the cancellation of Padma bridge financing. Yet the WB has not stated clearly where the government has misrepresented the bank's position. We are perplexed and concerned why such a rather stern tone has been taken by the WB giving the impression that the government must stay in line and observe all conditions. We think this is unfortunate considering that it has been only five days since a green signal was received on the troubled project. We are taking exception to the reprimanding line.
On our side, we wonder why after what had happened and a turn for the better having taken place, we are still in a "WB versus Bangladesh" mode instead of being wholeheartedly in a "WB and Bangladesh" or "WB with Bangladesh" mood. WB has reiterated in its last letter that it had provided credible evidence about wrongdoing and Bangladesh agreed to cooperate in the investigations. We have also indicated our decision to meet the other demands of the WB.
Bangladesh side has been repeatedly saying there has been no corruption. Even the finance minister has lately reiterated that no corruption has taken place centring on the project. In view of such strong statements from Bangladesh side that no wrongdoing has taken place it is all the more imperative, even desirable on our part to go through the investigations and get our position convincingly vindicated thereby.
That the WB has come back to a project they had withdrawn from is unprecedented in the history of the institution. We express gratitude to our development partners like Japan, China, USA, UK and India for their cooperation in the matter. We also thank the WB for agreeing to finance the project in principle. Now we must have the mindset to work with the WB cooperatively. Simultaneously, we should refrain from making comments which may even remotely send any wrong signal to the World Bank.
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