Suranjit Sengupta, minister without portfolio, yesterday hoped that Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina would call for national unity for “upholding the country's dignity” following cancellation of the World Bank's funding for the Padma bridge project.

“We hope that she [PM| will call for national unity and hold dialogue with other patriotic political parties,” the Awami League leader said at a discussion yesterday.

He hoped that the PM would make the call during her speech on the concluding day of the current parliamentary session, which is scheduled to end on Monday.

Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (BSJ) organised the discussion protesting "Falsehood against the prime minister and her family members and national international conspiracy against the construction of Padma bridge” at Public Library in the capital's Shahbagh.

Suranjit said the more the country works for solving its basic problems; the more national and international conspiracies are being revealed.

“The World Bank's decision about the Padma bridge is also a part of the conspiracy,” he said, adding that, “National unity is the single weapon to fight against these conspiracies.”

State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam also addressed the programme, which was chaired by BSJ's acting general secretary Arun Sarkar Rana.

On June 30, the World Bank cancelled its $1.2 billion credit for the Padma bridge project, saying that it has proof of corruption conspiracy involving Bangladeshi officials, executives of a Canadian firm and other individuals.