World Bank must feel sorry now, says Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said the World Bank (WB) must be “apologetic” and feel “sorry” considering that they did Bangladesh a “big injustice” by cancelling funding for the Padma Bridge, which is set to be inaugurated on June 25.

“There is no guarantee that big institutions (like the WB) always do good things,” he said while talking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

Momen said the global lending agency should compensate those who faced harassment and seek an apology from them, acknowledging the big injustice they committed.

The Bangladesh government has invited WB President David Malpass to attend the inauguration of the Padma Bridge. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority emailed the invitation to the chief of the multilateral lending agency on Wednesday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government’s move to self-finance the Padma Bridge brightened Bangladesh’s image globally. “Such a bold decision has also boosted the self-confidence and mental strength of the nation.”