‘Padma Bridge a source of huge pride for Bangladeshis’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the construction of Padma Bridge with the country’s own funds has taken the nation to a dignified position before the world and it changed the international community’s mindset towards Bangladesh.
“The people of Bangladesh can movenow with pride in the international arena… This is the biggest achievement,” she said.
Hasina was addressing a rally in Mawa marking the closing of the Padma Bridge construction work.
She said that the mindset of those who used to show an attitude towards Bangladesh that it cannot dowithout their support has changed.
“This Padma Bridge is the structure of our pride….Now the people honour Bangladesh in the international arena…”
The PM said the country would be transformed into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041 through socio-economic development.
“We will continue to move forward at an irresistible pace overcoming all obstacles, no matter how many arein the way. We will take Bangladesh forward by implementing the ideals of the Father of the Nation.”
Hasina said the Padma Bridge has opened the door for socio-economic advancement of the southwestern region.
She said Bangladesh’s independence, which came at the cost of tens of thousands of martyrs, has not gone in vain.
The premier thanked the consultants, workers, and others involved in the Padma Bridge project. She also expressed her gratitude to those local families who gave up their land for the project.
Hasina recalled the contribution of late Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury, an eminent civil engineer who served as the chair of an international committee of experts, and late communications minister Syed Abul Hossain.
Criticising the role of Dr Muhammad Yunus in the withdrawal of the Word Bank’s offer of funds for the Padma Bridge project, the PM said she never got the answer as to why a Nobel laureate is so obsessed over the mere post of the managing director of a bank.
Now the people can know what kind of honey was in the MD post when they see the labourers filing lawsuits and cases being lodged for tax evasion and corruption (against Dr Yunus), she said.
“More information will come out when the auditor’s report on Grameen Bank is revealed.”
On her arrival at the rally venue at 3:50pm, Hasina was received by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
Former cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, Bridges Division Senior Secretary Monjur Hossain and Project Director Shafiqul Islam also spoke at the event, with Quader in the chair.
The Bridges Division secretary said the project was completed on June 30 at a cost of Tk 30,770.13 crore.
A documentary on the Padma Bridge was screened at the programme.
On June 25, 2022, Hasina inaugurated the 6.15-km Padma Bridge which directly connects the country’s 21 southern and south-western districts with the capital.
PM PAYS HOMAGE TO BANGABANDHU
In the afternoon yesterday, the prime minister travelled to her ancestral home at Tungipara of Gopalganj by road.
She paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman there and offered prayers at his mausoleum.
Hasina joined a prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and his family members who were killed on August 15, 1975.
LondonGBDESK//
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