DHAKA, June 18, 2022 (BSS) - Speakers at a discussion today said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken Bangladesh to a unique height in the world by implementing Padma Bridge project with domestic fund overcoming local and international conspiracies.

They said the country has created the brightest example of its economic capacity because of the premier's courage, honesty and foresighted leadership.

They were addressing a discussion titled 'Padma Bridge of Courage and Honesty' organized by Bangabandhu Parishad at Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of National Press Club in the capital today.

Bangabandhu Parishad President Dr SA Malek chaired it virtually while senior journalist and presidium member of Bangabandhu Parishad Ajit Kumar Sarker presented the keynote paper, said a press release.

SA Malek said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is one of the honest statesmen of the world. As she is honest, the premier challenged World Bank to give evidence of any kind of corruption in the Padma Bridge project, he said. 

Her courage, honesty and foresighted leadership nearly foiled all local and foreign conspiracies over the mega project, he said. 

"Bangladesh has been able to create the brightest example of economic capacity by implementing the Padma Bridge project with its own fund," he said. 

While presenting the keynote paper, Ajit Kumar Sarker said a conspiracy was hatched over Padma Bridge project ahead of January 2014 national elections.

The country's opposition politicians, some members of civil society and an international clique joined hands in hatching conspiracy targeting to raise allegations of corruption against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to stigmatize it to defeat the AL in the parliamentary elections, he said. 

Referring to a book, President of Bangladesh Economic Association Dr Abul Barkat said it is a painful truth that some of civil society resorted to spread programme through their statements and write-ups raising allegations of corruptions against the government by echoing the World Bank's remarks. 

Bangladesh Economic Association General Secretary Dr Jamal Uddin Ahamed, Bangabandhu Parishad Presidium Members AJM Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan and Professor A B M Faruq, among others, discussed on the keynote paper.
 
Joint General Secretary of Bangabandhu Parishad Motiur Rahaman Laltu conducted the programme.