The country’s apex trade body president AK Azad has sought US envoy’s mediation to melt down the ice that was frozen on Padma Bridge construction issue between Bangladesh and the World Bank (WB).

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry made the request before the US ambassador Dan W Mozena at an Annual General Meeting of the International Business Forum of Bangladesh, held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Saturday.

Azad said misunderstanding between Bangladesh and WB is going on regarding the financing of the Padma Bridge construction.

“WB is a good friend of Bangladesh,” he said and added that misunderstanding could be removed through talks.

WB wanted to provide soft loan to erect Padma bridge on the river Padma but things got difficult as the lending agency reportedly found “wrong doing” in the process of survey.

WB’s soft loan is mostly needed for infrastructure development and for the country’s rapid industrialization, the FBCCI president said.

“As being a business leader, I want to reduce the gap between Bangladesh and the WB,” he added.
Azad called upon the US ambassador to work together for overcoming any misunderstanding between Bangladesh and the WB.

The Daily Independent/Bangladesh/ 1st April 2012