Padma Bridge brightens country's image: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the decision of building the much awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge, which is set to open for traffic on June 25 next, brightened the country's image in the world.

"The decision to construct the Padma Bridge by own finance has brightened the country's image in the globe and also accelerated the nation's confidence," she said.

The prime minister was addressing the Army Selection Board-2022 meeting at the Army Headquarters' Multipurpose Complex at Dhaka Cantonment.

The World Bank stopped financing to construct the bridge without holding board meeting with the connivance of a person bringing a false corruption allegation which was later proved baseless, prime minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told newsmen quoting Sheikh Hasina as saying.

"We have to march ahead with self confidence maintaining the economic condition (Bangladesh has got recognition of a developing nation from a least developed one) that we have achieved," the premier said.

Referring to the army's various nation building and social activities, she said Bangladesh Army has always made contributions to the country's overall development that included building infrastructure.

The prime minister asked the army to gain the confidence and trust of the masses through their activities.

She said all including the armed forces, police and BGB have stood beside the people in their hardship during the Covid-19 pandemic.

About the government measures regarding mitigation and adaptation of the climate change impact, she said they have built flats at Khuruskul in Cox's Bazar to provide shelter to the climate refugees.

She reiterated that none would remain landless and homeless across the country as her government has provided houses with lands free of cost.