Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the Padma Bridge will open to traffic by the end of this year.
Besides, she assured that there is no possibility of economic crisis like that in Sri Lanka as the economic base of Bangladesh is very strong.
The Prime Minister said this while speaking at the ongoing session of the Jatiya Sangsad chaired by Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
Mentioning that the progress of the construction of the main bridge is 96.50 percent, Sheikh Hasina said that the construction work is progressing fast aiming at opening the Padma Bridge to traffic by the end of current year.
She said this while replying to a tabled question from a treasury bench lawmaker from Naogaon-2 Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker during the PM's question-answer session.
The Prime Minister termed the construction of the Padma Bridge as the most challenging one in country's history, saying, "The Padma Bridge is going to open in a developing nation like Bangladesh confronting all the hurdles."
She said that the construction work of carpeting, viaduct carpeting, waterproof membrane, movement joint of main bridge and viaduct, lamppost, aluminium railing, gas pipeline, 400 KVA electricity and railway line is progressing fast.
The Prime Minister said the construction of a 27 kilometres link road from Nawdoba, Shariatpur end to the district town has already started.
She said her government has begun the building of the country's largest bridge --- 6.15 kilometres long and 18.10 metres wide --- in 2014 with our own finance in 2014.
The construction was supposed to start in January 2009 and end in December 2015, she said, adding: "But due to the conspiracy by a vested quarter in the country, the World Bank stopped financing the construction of the bridge".
The premier said that the revised budget of the Padma Bridge project is Tk 30,193.39 crore.
Sheikh Hasina said construction of infrastructures is important for the country's development.
She added: "So, the government has given importance to develop the infrastructures. A huge change has been made during the last decade during her government. Now, the country is starting a journey on the development highway."
The government has taken various mega projects for ensuring the country's overall development, she continued.
Sheikh Hasina, also the leader of the House, told Parliament that her government took 17 notable mega projects which are now being implemented.
The mega projects include Padma Multipurpose Bridge Construction Project, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Moitre Super Thermal Power Project (Rampal), Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project, LNG Terminal and Gas Pipeline Construction Project, Payra Sea Port, Payra Thermal Power Plant, Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, Cox's Bazar Airport Development Project, and Ashrayan Project.
Bangladesh will face no economic crisis
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also told the parliament that that there is no possibility of economic crisis like that in Sri Lanka as the economic base of Bangladesh is very strong.
"We are very much aware," she said as Deputy Opposition leader GM Quader apprehended a Sri Lanka-like situation.
She said her government used to repay the debt taken for the country's development purpose in due time since the Awami League assumed office.
"Bangladesh is a country in the world which was never a defaulter in paying debts and will not be defaulter in the days to come as our economic base is very strong in this respect," she said.
The Prime Minister said her government doesn't take commission as the BNP and Jatiya Party governments did as they pocketed Taka 10 after purchasing an item spending Tk 20.
She said her government, in most of the cases, has completed the work of projects in due time or prior to the scheduled time, referring to completion of the 1320 MW Payra Thermal Plant within eight months of starting its work and thus saving Tk 800 crore.
BNP doesn't believe in independence, Liberation War spirit
Moreover, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in parliament that a BNP lawmaker's remark on nationalisation of 'Joy Bangla' slogan has proved that they don't believe in the country's independence and the spirit of the Liberation War.
"His (BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid's) remarks have proved that they don't believe in independence and the spirit of the Liberation War. They have love for Pakistan (pyare Pakistan) in their mind and they like to practise slavery of Pakistan," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said this in the Jatiya Sangsad taking part in a general discussion on a motion brought to thank the Prime Minister and her cabinet colleagues for taking a "strong role" in announcing the "Joy Bangla" as the national slogan.
The House by a voice vote unanimously adopted the congratulatory motion which was placed at the House by lawmaker from Madaripur-2 constituency Shajahan Khan under Section-147 of the rules of procedure, following the general discussion.
Sheikh Hasina, also Leader of the House, said that after assuming power, military dictator Ziaur Rahman did the same thing that the Pakistani occupation forces did during the Liberation War in 1971 when the "Joy Bangla" slogan was chanted.
They conducted various propagandas about the "Joy Bangla" slogan, she said, adding that the followers of Zia are still doing the same old things.
The Prime Minister thanked the people of the country as the "Joy Bangla" has got recognition and dignity as the country's national slogan.
The Leader of the House said her government has announced "Joy Bangla" as the national slogan in line with the country's apex court's directives that "Joy Bangla" should be made the national slogan of the country.
The Prime Minister said the Bangabandhu had first given the Joy Bangla slogan and asked Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni to reach the slogan to the grassroots through the Chhatra League.
Sheikh Hasina said the Father of the Nation concluded her historic 7th march speech by chanting "Joy Bangla" and since then the slogan was made the slogan of the Liberation War and it immensely inspired the freedom fighters to join the war against the Pakistani occupation forces.
The Prime Minister said Ziaur Rahman had destroyed the spirit of the Liberation War and the Joy Bangla slogan, erased the name of the Father of the Nation and banned the historic 7th March speech of Bangabandhu which has now got international recognition.
"I will tell everyone that Bangladesh will march ahead with the spirit of the Liberation War and none can push the country behind anymore," she said.
"Why Mustaq made Ziaur Rahman the army chief immediately after assassination of the Father of the Nation if he was not directly involved with the killing," she questioned.
The Prime Minister said she failed to incorporate the name of Ziaur Rahman in the Bangabandhu killing case as he had died before.
