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Padma bridge with local fund possible

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Staff Correspondent
A national consensus is necessary for building Padma bridge using only local funds, speakers said at a roundtable yesterday.
This is Bangladesh’s chance to be independent and prove that it can implement a big project with its own fund, they said at the roundtable discussion held at the Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB).
IDEB organised the discussion on ’’People's expected Padma Bridge: present context and national responsibility".
“A country cannot depend on foreign funds for long-term development," said Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, a renowned economist.
“If we change our mindset we can build the bridge independently,” he said.
The bridge can be funded without affecting the country's balance of payment and foreign exchange reserve, he said.
Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled, chairman of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, said the World Bank is repeatedly talking about corruption but the bank itself is corrupted.
The WB time and again recommended a Chinese company despite the evaluation committee declaring the company unqualified to build the bridge, he said.
Bangladesh can raise the fund through saving about Tk 4,000 crore from development budget, imposing surcharge, and issuing NRB bonds, Khaled said.
Appreciating government's move to build the bridge with local fund, former vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) AMM Shafiullah said about 60 percent of Buet students go abroad after graduating because oflackofjobs.
"Here we have an opportunity to prove our qualifications,” he said, adding that willingness, honest persons, and patriotism is necessary to build the Padma bridge.
Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutta said an international conspiracy was behind the cancellation of the fund by the WB.
Local Government Secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan said government service holders are ready to sacrifice any monetary value to raise fund for the bridge.
General Secretary of IDEB Shamsur Rahman proposed imposing surcharge against mobile subscribers and taking annual Tk 10,000 levy from each of the 16 lakh different vehicles in the country.
AKMA Hamid, president of IDEB, presided over the roundtable.