Padma bridge with own fund unrealistic
BNP leader tells BBC Sanglap
While Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan believes that the construction of Padma Bridge is possible with local finance, BNP leader Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman terms it unrealistic.
Their views came at BBC Bangladesh Sanglap, a programme where ordinary citizens directly interact with political leaders and policymakers on contemporary issues, in the capital's Biam auditorium yesterday.
Journalist leader Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury told the discussion that the government is bound to construct the bridge anyhow. Dhaka University Professor Tajmeri SA Islam, however, said people do not have confidence in such an idea of the government.
On Thursday, the government withdrew its request to the World Bank loan for the Padma bridge and said it will implement the project by its own fund if other donors do not come up with funds.
When a participant asked, “Is the government decision to self-finance the bridge realistic?†Mahbubur Rahman said, “I don't think that it is a realistic decision. It will put a huge pressure on economy.â€
Shahjahan Khan said, “If railway facility is dropped off the bridge design, the cost will decrease massively. Why will we not be able to construct the bridge then?.â€
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