সোনালী ব্যাংক: পরীক্ষা.................... ২০১৪ (13.09.2014) Written Exam Preparation: both Senior officer and officer/officer cash total marks: 100 time: 2 hours Essay: The Padma Bridge The Padma Bridge will be the longest bridge of its type with 6.15 kilometre of length. This will connect the south-western parts with the capital and is expected to save hundreds of thousands of working hours and huge transport costs. The Padma Bridge is a high priority national project. It would change the economic landscape of the south-western region and ultimately uplift the national economy. The project covers three districts — Munshiganj (Mawa Point/North bank), Shariatpur and Madaripur (Janjira/South bank). The total area of land to be acquired and required for its components is 918 hectares. The requisition of land for the construction yard will be for six years on a rental basis. As per the new design, an additional 144.04 hectares has been identified for acquisition, bringing the total to 1062.14 hectares. This additional land is required because project site lost significant land due to erosion, for transition structures and due to a change in railway alignment. The two-level steel truss bridge will carry a four-lane highway on the upper level and a single track railway on a lower level. The project will include 6.15 km long and 18.10 m wide bridge, 15.1 km of approach roads, toll plazas and service areas. The Padma bridge project will require $2.1 billion in foreign currencies in five fiscal years as the government looks to build the bridge by June 2018. Of the sum, around $200 million will be needed in this fiscal year, $700 million in the next FY, $600 million in FY16, $500 million in FY17 and $100 million in FY18. The forex reserve of the country is now over $18 billion. According to the Bridges Divisions estimate in 2011, the bridge will cost $2.56 billion, of which $2.1 billion will be paid in foreign currency and the rest in local currency. The Bangladesh Bank will issue the international consultants and contractors Letters of Comfort so that they do not feel insecure about the payments, the Bridges Division decided in a meeting early this month. The February 3 meeting discussed the management of the foreign currency required for the project and the payments for the international contractors and consultancy firms. The bridge authorities would inform the BB in advance the monthly requirement for foreign and local currencies, said an official of the bridge authorities would inform the BB in advance the monthly requirement of foreign and local currencies, said an official of the Bridges Division. Once built, the 6.15km long bridge will connect the countrys southern part with the capital and cut travel-time by at least one hour. Originally, it was to be funded by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Jica. But the WB scrapped its $1.2 billion loan deal with the government in 2012 over alleged corruption conspiracy involving former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain in hiring a Canadian consultancy firm, SNC-Lavalin. From the beginning the Padma bridge negotiation has been involved to corruption and conspiracy. The World Bank stated that they found, credible evidence corroborated by a variety of sources which points to a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials, SNC-Lavalin executives, and private individuals in connection with the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.For the corruption, the World Bank turned down to sanction the proposed loan for constructing the bridge. In these circumstances World Bank imposed some conditions to continue the loan talk with the government. According to one of these conditions Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain resigned, as he was found involved with corruption. .
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 16:13:57 +0000
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