The High Court (HC) has stressed the need to identify the 'conspirators' who sought to undermine the Padma Bridge project by raising false allegations of corruption over the construction of the megastructure.
Referring to the World Bank's cancellation of $1.2 billion in credit for the project, the panel of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo asked why the global lender would withdraw funding in the absence of any conspiracy.
“The Padma Bridge is a national asset. It is our pride," Justice Talukder said at a hearing on a rule over the matter on Sunday.
"Those who stand against the nation's development needs are enemies of the state who need to be identified. These anti-national conspirators must be tracked down."
The court later fixed Tuesday for the next hearing on the matter, reports bdnews24.com.
On Feb 15, 2017, the High Court issued the rule on its own motion, asking the government to explain why an inquiry committee should not be formed to identify those who made the 'false claims of corruption' and bring them to justice.
The cabinet, law, home, and communication secretaries, the chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the inspector general of police were the respondents to the rule.