No corruption took place: ACC

After a 20-month investigation, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has said no corruption took place in the Padma bridge project.

The anti-graft body has cleared seven accused of the corruption charges.

ACC Chairman M Bodiuzzaman today at a press briefing said they have not found any irregularities against anybody in Padma bridge project.

ACC official Zahidul Alam who investigated the allegation has submitted the final charge sheet of the case to the ACC, discharging the seven defendants.

ACC Commissioner Md Shahabuddin described the World Bank's stance as motivated when reporters asked him whether WB's information that it had shared with ACC was intentional.

Replying to another question form reporters, ACC chief Bodiuzzaman said they lodged the case based on preliminary information provided by the WB and hoped that WB and Canadian authorities would provide the anti-graft watchdog with necessary information.

Earlier on December 17, 2012, the ACC filed the case against seven people for conspiring to commit bribery.

The accused include former secretary of the Bridges Division Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, but the anti-graft body did not include in the case former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain and former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury.

The six other accused in the case filed with Banani Police Station are Superintendent Engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) Kazi Mohammad Ferdous, Executive Engineer of Roads and Highway Department Reaz Ahmed Zaber, Deputy Managing Director of Engineering and Planning Consultant, a local agent Canadian firm SNC Lavalin, Mohammad Mostofa and SNC Lavalin officials Mohammad Ismail, Ramesh Shah and Kevin Wales.