Strongly refuting Chinese claims of Bangladesh’s biggest infrastructure project being part of the BRI, Dhaka said the Padma Bridge, which is scheduled to be launched on June 25, is not part of China’s BRI. It also said that no foreign fund was taken for completing this multipurpose project.
Earlier, the Bangladesh-China Silk Road Forum and the Embassy of China in Dhaka announced an event titled “The Padma Bridge: An Example of Bangladesh-China Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative” on June 22. The Chinese envoy is scheduled to attend the event.
Dhaka-based sources told ET that some Chinese companies were sub-contractors but the project has been funded entirely by Dhaka after the World Bank withdrew from it.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry in a statement said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically asserts that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge is fully funded by the Government of Bangladesh and no foreign funds from any bilateral or multilateral funding agency have contributed to its No financial contribution has been made in the construction.
According to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the completion of the bridge will fulfill the dream of connecting 19 south-western districts of Bangladesh with the rest of the country, resulting in collective prosperity, socio-economic development of the country as well as increased regional connectivity. . ,
“The Ministry of External Affairs sincerely hopes that all friends of Bangladesh will join hands in celebrating the completion of this historic project, which is even more special as it has been done entirely with the contribution of the people and the government,” the statement said. ” ,
Unlike Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh has been cautious in signing every Chinese proposal under the BRI. Earlier some top Bangladesh companies were blacklisted and clashes took place between local people and Chinese nationals over several Chinese funded projects in Bangladesh.
