It had announced in June the cancellation of US$1.2 billion credit for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project following evidence of corruption but has now received assurances of new measures being put in place.
Following cancellation of the bank’s credit, the government of Bangladesh took actions necessary to fulfill specified measures. The World Bank said that the government has now begun to address the evidence of corruption the bank identified. The World Bank said that it understands that all government employees and officials alleged to have been involved in corrupt acts in connection with the project have been put on leave from government service until an investigation is completed, and that a full and fair investigation is now under way.
The government of Bangladesh requested the World Bank to consider again the financing of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. The government agreed to a series of measures as a pre-requisite for any renewed implementation. These include new procurement arrangements with enhanced oversight, to ensure transparency and clean construction of the bridge; investigations proceeding in a full, fair, and expeditious manner; and an independent external panel to review the government's investigation and report findings to the government and the World Bank.
The World Bank said that it remains vigilant to any signs of corruption in the Padma Bridge project, and that its determination to take a strong line against wrongdoing will never waver. “If implemented properly, the Padma Bridge has the potential to deliver remarkable benefits to the people of Bangladesh, who deserve transparent use of public money, clean implementation of the project and a high-quality bridge to spur growth and development for years to come,” it said.
