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Padma Bridge

'KL okays investment proposal'

Diplomatic Correspondent
The Malaysian high commissioner in Dhaka yesterday officially said that their cabinet has approved the Padma bridge investment proposal.
Jamaluddin Bin Sabeh
told this to Foreign Minister Dipu Moni when he paid a farewell visit at her office in the city.
"I hope the agreement will be signed immediately after approval of the Bangladesh cabinet,” the envoy told reporters emerging from the meeting with the minister.
A foreign ministry press release yesterday said, “The high commissioner informed the foreign minister that the Malaysian cabinet has already approved the proposed MoU regarding Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.”
He, however, declined to comment on the World Bank's suspending finance in the $2.9 billion project over corruption allegation. Other financiers of the project — ADB, Jica and IDB — also suspended releasing of their pledged fund.
The government signed loan agreements with the WB for $1.2 billion, ADB for $615 million, Jica involving $400 million and IDB for $ 140 million to construct the
6.15 kilometre bridge. But the project stalled in October last year following the WB's allegation of corruption in the bidding process.
Later, Kuala Lumpur proposed Dhaka to fund the project and an MoU was supposed to be signed in this regard this month. But the Bangladesh government did not strike a deal since it contradicts agreements signed with the existing donors.
During yesterday's meeting, Sabeh congratulated Dipu Moni as Bangladesh recently won its claim over 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and territorial rights in the Bay against Myanmar.
The envoy also expressed his cordial gratitude to the Bangladesh government for all sorts of support accorded to him during his tour of duty in Dhaka.
The foreign minister thanked the Malaysian government for the support it provided regarding Machine Readable Passport (MRP) machines, dredging
work by Malaysian Maritime and Dredging Corporation (MMDC) in Chittagong Port and showing interest in the Padma bridge project.
Dipu Moni also expressed contentment at the legalisation process of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia and hoped that after being legalised, Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia would get safer work environment and unscrupulous agents would not be able to exploit them anymore.
She hoped that Malaysia would start fresh recruitment of workers soon and requested Sabeh to play active role in recruiting skilled and semi-skilled workers from Bangladesh.
The outgoing envoy also informed the foreign minister that Malaysia would arrange a showcase programme in Dhaka to commemorate the 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said before accepting the Malaysian proposal in the Padma bridge project, the existing agreements with the four other donors have to be settled.
After a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran in the evening at his secretariat office, the minister said the Malaysian proposal also says so.
If the other donors want to finance the project alongside Malaysia, the proposal says, they may do so, according to Muhith.
Asked whether the government was drifting away from the agreement with the donors, he replied, “Not necessarily.”
Muhith, however, refrained from pointing out a timeframe for the settlement.