DHAKA: An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) team will go to Canada first week of November to observe the hearing of the corruption case over the appointment of consultant for Padma Bridge construction in a Canadian court.

ACC secretary Md Foyzur Rahman Chowdhury came up with the disclosure in a press briefing on Wednesday noon at its head office in city’s Segunbagicha area.

But he did not make it clear that whether the team can bring any fresh information regarding investigation on the scam.

Sources concerned said the anti-graft body is yet to get any commitment from Cananda to provide information for investigation.

Earlier on May 19, Legal Adviser of the anti-corruption body Anisul Haque and ACC investigation officer Mirza Jahidul Islam flew to Canada for further investigation into Padma Bridge graft.

But they returned home empty handed that created huge criticism.

In reply to a question, ACC secretary said, “The hearing on Padma Bridge Corruption will be held on November 1 in a Canadian Court. ACC team will observe the trial procedure.”

Earlier, World Bank asked the Canadian police to investigate an allegation against Montreal-based Company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc of resorting to corruption to be selected as a consultant of the project.

On October 10, 2012 Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the World Bank suspended funding $ 1.2 billion for the Padma Bridge project amid allegations of irregularities with it.

The World Bank earlier had promised to provide the fund to Bangladesh for constructing the 6.15-km Padma Bridge. Besides, the Asian Development Bank is also committed to providing $ 615 million, while Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) $ 400 million and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) $ 140 million for building the big bridge.

On 17 December in the last year, ACC filed a corruption case against seven officials, including former bridge secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan on charge of corruption on Padma Bridge scam.

Mosharraf and former bridge division supervisor (river) engineer Kazi Muhammad Ferdous are now in prison after remand in the case.

The others accused in the case are Roads and Highways division executive engineer Riaz Ahmed Jaber, Engineer and Planning Consulted Limited DMD Muhammad Mostafa, SNC Lavaline former director Muhammad Ismail, former vice president Ramesh Saha and Kevin Wales.

BDST: 1423 HRS, SEP 22, 2013
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