No corrupt firm to be assigned Padma bridge construction

No corrupt firm will be assigned the construction of the US $ 2.9 billion Padma multipurpose bridge project, said Bridge Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan yesterday.
His comment came following reports that the Canadian government is investigating into corruption charges against employees of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc, one of the short-listed companies supervising the construction.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Press Information Department conference room of the Secretariat, he said none complained of any corruption or irregularity in the project.
“We often meet and talk to World Bank officials but neither the bank officials nor its country director did complain to the government about any wrongdoings,” he said.
Mosharraf said many of the Bangladeshi media tried to implicate the communications minister with the so-called corruption.
He said there is an eight-member committee, headed by Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, tasked with the responsibility of overseeing different tender procedures of the Padma bridge project.
“Not only the minister but also none above his position had the capacity to influence the committee,” he said.
Mosharraf said everything is being done in a transparent manner. “What we tell World Bank is that the project is the first priority of the Bangladesh government as well as the countrymen.”
The evaluation report by the government to appoint SNC-Lavalin Group Inc was prepared following the World Bank guideline and was sent to the World Bank in June this year for approval, he added.
Mosharraf said tender for construction of the bridge will be issued next week but the construction will begin in April next year after all procedures are complete.
“World Bank and the other financiers of the project reached a consensus to give approval to the bidding documents. The matter is now at the final stage,” he told The Daily Star.
These bidding documents regarding construction of the main bridge will soon be distributed among the five pre-qualified companies after the approval so that they can submit their complete technical and financial offers.
The firms are Samsung C&T Corporation of Korea, China Major Bridge Engineering Co Ltd, Daelim-Bam-VCI (a joint venture entity of Korea), Vinci-HCC (a joint venture of France and India) and China Communication Construction Company Ltd.
The 6.15 kilometre (km) bridge with 3.68km land-based approach viaducts on both sides of the river will connect 19 south-western districts and the capital, enhancing their access to markets, improving services and accelerating growth.
But the government is not happy due to the bureaucratic approach of the donors which is eventually delaying various infrastructure development projects. This matter was also discussed in a cabinet meeting held yesterday.
About the role of World Bank in the project, the secretary declined to make any serious comment.
He said committees comprising both local and international experts are strictly scrutinising every level of the project. “There are the financiers who are evaluating and overseeing every step. Nothing is being done without their suggestions and consent,” he said.
He said the project consists of five packages including -- construction of the main bridge, river training (controlling the direction of the water flow) and construction of approach roads and toll plaza on both Maowa and Jajira points.
None of the packages were finalised and no contract was signed so far, he said, adding that not a single penny was released or used from the donors' fund.
“All the money spent so far in Padma bridge project is from the government's fund. Tk 850 crore was spent for land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement and compensation purposes while Tk 186 crore for designing consultancy,” he said.