The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday asserted that the long-cherished Padma Bridge was not part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative and that no foreign funds were taken to complete this multipurpose project.
The foreign ministry issued a statement in this regard on Friday, hours after the Bangladesh-China Silk Road Forum and the Embassy of China in Dhaka invited media for an event titled “The Padma Bridge: An Example of Bangladesh-China Cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative” on June 22.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that some quarters are trying to portray that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge which is scheduled to be inaugurated on 25 June by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been constructed with the assistance of foreign funds and is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative,” read the foreign ministry statement.
“Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically asserts that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge has been entirely funded by the government of Bangladesh and no foreign funds from any other bilateral or multilateral funding agency has financially contributed to its construction.
“Both Bangladeshi and foreign construction firms were engaged for the implementation of the project. The completion of this bridge will fulfil the long-cherished dream of the nation for connecting the 19 south-western districts with the rest of the country resulting in collective prosperity, socioeconomic development of Bangladesh as well as enhanced regional connectivity.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs earnestly hopes that all friends of Bangladesh will join hands in celebrating the completion of this landmark project of Bangladesh which is all the more special since it has been done entirely by the contribution of the people and the Government of Bangladesh,” read the statement.
Earlier, Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy had said that the Padma Bridge is not just an engineering masterpiece but also a symbol of “pride and dignity” of Bangladesh.
“All the people of the country equally share this glory, and the future of Bangladesh hinges much on the bridge,” he wrote while sharing a video from his verified Facebook account on the mega project on Tuesday.
“It’s your and my hard-earned money that contributed to this success. Padma Bridge with my money, Padma Bridge for my country,” Joy added.
