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WB Loan Cancellation

Yunus has no link

Says US envoy

Diplomatic Correspondent
US Ambassador to Dhaka Dan Mozena yesterday ruled out any link of Prof Muhammad Yunus with the scrapping of the Padma bridge loan agreement by the World Bank.
Asked whether the issue of ProfYunus's removal from the Grameen Bank by the government influenced the World Bank to cancel its loan commitment, Mozena said, "It is wrong...it is really very wrong. There is no link between them.”
He also ruled out any involvement of the United States behind the World Bank's decision to not fund the Padma bridge construction.
"I was very disappointed that the World Bank chose to cancel the loan,” Mozena said at a meet-the-press programme organised by Jatiya Press Club in the capital yesterday.
In an oblique reference to the long row over the corruption allegation in selection of consultants for the bridge, the US envoy expressed his disappointment that the World Bank and the Bangladesh government were not able to proceed with this critical project. “I know investigation is on in Canada,” he said.
Replying to a question whether the United States will play any role in reopening dialogue between the World Bank and the Bangladesh government, Mozena said he is trying to get better understanding of the process. “US is not part of the crisis...this is an issue between the World Bank and the Bangladesh government,” he added.
"I must hope that the Bangladesh government and the World Bank can find a way to meet each other's needs,” he said, reiterating that the US always supports the construction of Padma bridge.
JICA
Meanwhile, a senior official of Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) in Dhaka yesterday said they are seriously watching what steps Bangladesh is taking about alleged corruption involving the Padma bridge project.
Jica Senior Representative Kei Toyama said this while talking to reporters at the New Haripur Power Plant Project in Narayanganj.
Japan is seriously considering the corruption issue involving the Padma bridge project, he said.
However, Deputy Prime Minister of Japan Katsuya Pkada at a meeting with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni in Tokyo on Monday conveyed that the Padma bridge project could be undertaken under a new framework of donor arrangement as World Bank has cancelled its funding commitment in the project.
He assured the foreign minister that Japan would pursue the donor groups including the Asian Development Bank to embark at a negotiated settlement in respect of the project.
Jica President Akihiko Tanaka also during a meeting with Dipu Moni in Tokyo on Monday expressed regret at the World Bank's decision.