Dhaka, June 16 (UNB) – The government will construct the Padma Bridge with its own fund if the World Bank and other donors express unwillingness to finance the project, said Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday.

“We want to construct the bridge with support from the World Bank and the door for reaching an understanding is still open. We’ll look for alternative sources of fund if we don’t get any positive response,” he said during his visit to the rehabilitation sites of Padma Bridge project at Kumarbhog, Munshiganj.

Qauder said the construction work on four rehabilitation sites has almost finished and the government will start the main infrastructure of the bridge in February next.

Replying to a query, he said the government has no conflict with the World Bank. “We’re still giving priority to the WB constructing the Padma Bridge. But other donors and organisations are interested to finance the project.”

A delegation from Malaysia will visit Dhaka on June 28 to give a formal proposal for financing the Padma Bridge project, Quader said.

Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh, MP, Tarana Halim, MP, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai Andolan Elias Kanchan and actress Rokeya Prachi were, among others, accompanied the minister during the visit.