Malaysian proposal for Padma Bridge – disaster waiting to happen

[idune]

Malaysian proposal for Padma Bridge – disaster waiting to happen

Since corruption evidence came to light on nationally important Padma bridge project, Awami League regime had jumped on questionable funding source paddled by even more corrupt person. It is important to know that now inflated $2.9 billion project is estimated to include additional 1.2% of GDP growth. That is how much this project is important to national economy and south western region of Bangladesh.

Samy vellu an indian origin Malaysian has his own track record of corruption, is pushing Padma bridge proposal now dubbed as “Malaysian proposal”. This so called “Malaysian proposal” has following outrageous terms that will enslave Bangladeshis for half a century to service Awami League and Samy vellu joint venture of wholesale looting.

1) Malaysia wants to own, operate and collect toll from Padma bridge for 50 years.
2) Malaysia wants each truck to pay US$16 toll and double the toll to $32 by 2030.
3) Malaysia wants car toll be $10 dollar and increases gradually.
4) Malaysia wants bus toll be around $20 increase gradually.

5) Malaysia wants guarantee of subsidy in the event of lower-than-expected earnings (below quarterly forecasted traffic flow for 25 years).
6) Malaysia wants duty-free import of construction materials.
7) Malaysia wants tax holiday.
8) Malaysia wants immunity from laws concerned with environmental and human rights issues.

9) Bangladesh liability could reach a maximum of $11.9 billion as the consortium would borrow at three per cent interest rate from the international money market for the bridge.
10) Bangladesh cannot build any other bridge over Padma river.

Each truck to pay $16 as toll to cross Padma Bridge initially

Shakhawat Hossain

Each truck will have to pay US$16 as toll to cross the proposed Padma Bridge in the initial years and almost double in 2030 as per condition of a Malaysian consortium willing to take up the mega infrastructure project.

The consortium which submitted an initial proposal last February projected that the toll for a car will be $10 dollar and a bus around $20 in the initial years.
The toll rates which will be increased gradually over the next fifty years have been calculated on the basis of joint study by AECOM, a consultant for the Padma Bridge project, and the

New Age | Newspaper

Dhaka, KL sign MoU on Padma Bridge

The consortium wanted the right to collect toll for 50 years.
It wanted a guarantee of subsidy in the event of lower-than-expected earnings, quarterly forecast on traffic flow for 25 years, duty-free import of construction materials, tax holiday and immunity from laws concerned with environmental and human rights issues.

Experts fear the arrangement might prove costly requiring Bangladesh to shoulder a debt liability of $10 billion for half a century.
They said the liability could reach a maximum of $11.9 billion as the consortium would borrow at three per cent interest rate from the international money market for the bridge.

New Age | Newspaper

 

[Kaniska]

BD should be excited that so many people are offering to finance...Now it is upto you guys to choose the best deal out of all the offer....You should be happy as you have to choose out of so many offers...

 

[idune]

Malaysia wants to start preliminary work by Oct

When asked about the terms and conditions and cost of the project if the Malaysian government finally goes for implementing the construction of the bridge project, he avoided giving any details.

Samy Vellu said they have submitted 'intermediate proposals' and now they will submit the final proposal.

Malaysia wants to start preliminary work by Oct

 

[livingdead]

Will it be made by Samy Vellu's company or malayasia govt? who will benefit from it? Why cant bangladesh get their 'arob' brothers to finance this, this much be small change for them.

 

[BJFP]

Malaysian proposal for Padma Bridge – disaster waiting to happen

Since corruption evidence came to light on nationally important Padma bridge project, Awami League regime had jumped on questionable funding source paddled by even more corrupt person. It is important to know that now inflated $2.9 billion project is estimated to include additional 1.2% of GDP growth. That is how much this project is important to national economy and south western region of Bangladesh.

Samy vellu an indian origin Malaysian has his own track record of corruption, is pushing Padma bridge proposal now dubbed as “Malaysian proposal”. This so called “Malaysian proposal” has following outrageous terms that will enslave Bangladeshis for half a century to service Awami League and Samy vellu joint venture of wholesale looting.

1) Malaysia wants to own, operate and collect toll from Padma bridge for 50 years.
2) Malaysia wants each truck to pay US$16 toll and double the toll to $32 by 2030.
3) Malaysia wants car toll be $10 dollar and increases gradually.
4) Malaysia wants bus toll be around $20 increase gradually.

5) Malaysia wants guarantee of subsidy in the event of lower-than-expected earnings (below quarterly forecasted traffic flow for 25 years).
6) Malaysia wants duty-free import of construction materials.
7) Malaysia wants tax holiday.
8) Malaysia wants immunity from laws concerned with environmental and human rights issues.

9) Bangladesh liability could reach a maximum of $11.9 billion as the consortium would borrow at three per cent interest rate from the international money market for the bridge.
10) Bangladesh cannot build any other bridge over Padma river.

Ok I really don't understand how him being of Indian origin has anything to do with his corruption. This level of hatred of India on this forum is very wrong, and I just have to say it..and yes I am an anti-Awami League Bangladeshi Muslim saying this.

Either way if the money went to Malaysia, it's fine but the prices for toll is stealing the livelihood of anyone who uses the bridge so I have to agree it is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[INDIC]

Malaysia wants to start preliminary work by Oct

When asked about the terms and conditions and cost of the project if the Malaysian government finally goes for implementing the construction of the bridge project, he avoided giving any details.

Samy Vellu said they have submitted 'intermediate proposals' and now they will submit the final proposal.

Malaysia wants to start preliminary work by Oct

Now, Jamatis even have problem with foreign nationals of Indian origin.

 

[Ammyy]

Now, Jamatis even have problem even with foreign nationals of Indian origin.

They have problem with their own country let forget India and Indians

 

[livingdead]

Ok I really don't understand how him being of Indian origin has anything to do with his corruption. This level of hatred of India on this forum is very wrong, and I just have to say it..and yes I am an anti-Awami League Bangladeshi Muslim saying this.

Either way if the money went to Malaysia, it's fine but the prices for toll is stealing the livelihood of anyone who uses the bridge so I have to agree it is a disaster waiting to happen.

You are new here. Bangladeshi section is for trolling because low intellectual level of bangladeshis (if you find my words offensive you should see how they call each other when they dont agree on something). Go to pakistani sections for proper discussion.

Here all Indians are 'troll mode on', forgive us for that.

 

[Zabaniyah]

You are new here. Bangladeshi section is for trolling because low intellectual level of bangladeshis (if you find my words offensive you should see how they call each other when they dont agree on something). Go to pakistani sections for proper discussion.

Here all Indians are 'troll mode on', forgive us for that.

I always wondered the same. No wonder the politics of Bangladesh is so screwed

 

[kalu_miah]

Indian Hindu's had the troll mode on since Muslims invaded India.

 

[BJFP]

You are new here. Bangladeshi section is for trolling because low intellectual level of bangladeshis (if you find my words offensive you should see how they call each other when they dont agree on something). Go to pakistani sections for proper discussion.

Here all Indians are 'troll mode on', forgive us for that.

It has nothing to do with education but exposure to other people. I have family elders who are highly educated, one of them graduated with a masters degree in Univerisity of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in UK, and he has the same attitude. I observed that they grew up in villages with no exposure of different people and that's what defines their attitude.

When I went to Bangladesh I went to a PC shop in Dhaka and the things they built led me to believe that the ingenuity of these Bangladeshis goes beyond a typical college educated computer engineer in USA. So it's not education but exposure to people of other backgrounds and ethnicity. India is a federation and she has so many different people so that's why Indians are very open minded.

 

[kalu_miah]

It has nothing to do with education but exposure to other people. I have family elders who are highly educated, one of them graduated with a masters degree in Univerisity of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in UK, and he has the same attitude. I observed that they grew up in villages with no exposure of different people and that's what defines their attitude.

When I went to Bangladesh I went to a PC shop in Dhaka and the things they built led me to believe that the ingenuity of these Bangladeshis goes beyond a typical college educated computer engineer in USA. So it's not education but exposure to people of other backgrounds and ethnicity. India is a federation and she has so many different people so that's why Indians are very open minded.

Actually before 1947 all of India had more mixed population, but since 1947 with migration the population has polarized as did attitudes, as common people are not exposed as much to people of another religious background. So South Asians grown up in their home countries have become less exposed and as a result more intolerant, while desi's living and growing up in other countries usually are more exposed to a lot of different kind of people, so logically they should be more tolerant, but I heard that Hindutva is very strong among expat populations, so is this political Islam. I guess living and growing up in another country among strangers does something to people.

 

[livingdead]

It has nothing to do with education but exposure to other people. I have family elders who are highly educated, one of them graduated with a masters degree in Univerisity of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in UK, and he has the same attitude. I observed that they grew up in villages with no exposure of different people and that's what defines their attitude.

When I went to Bangladesh I went to a PC shop in Dhaka and the things they built led me to believe that the ingenuity of these Bangladeshis goes beyond a typical college educated computer engineer in USA. So it's not education but exposure to people of other backgrounds and ethnicity. India is a federation and she has so many different people so that's why Indians are very open minded.

I never said Indians are open minded. It is your conclusion not mine. I was pointing specifically to the bangladeshis on this forum.
I prefer company of my bangladeshi friends here in UK, because of my cultural affinity, I feel at home.
Kalu mian's take on expats is true by and large.

 

[idune]

KL now estimates Padma Bridge cost at $2.8b
Actual cost to be over $4b, if it is accepted: Officials

Munima Sultana

The cost for construction of the Padma Bridge project has now been estimated by Malaysia in its latest proposal at US$2.8 billion. However, some elements of costs of the project have been excluded under the latest proposal that may entail some extra burden on the government, the sources said.

The latest Malaysian proposal estimated the bridge's cost at a much lower level than what was projected -- $5.9 billion -- in its earlier proposal submitted in May last, officials said. It has now proposed that the government of Bangladesh will require to spend $750 million from its own coffer in completing the project.

However, officials concerned said the new proposal has not included many important costs in the total expense of the project, and it is still under scrutiny by technical experts.

They said the initial estimation of the Malaysian proposed cost, after adding all the related costs to be borne by the government, would be no less than $ 4.0 billion.

According to the latest proposal, the government has to repay the proposed Malaysian capital at an annual interest rate of 6.5 per cent in 12 years after completion of the bridge construction in 2015 and share the toll of the bridge for another 15 years. The government's share in the collected toll has been proposed to be 25 per cent.

The officials said the government's real cost for the project would be much higher than the cost estimated by national and international consultants, if the Malaysian proposal is accepted.

They said the Malaysian proposal offered to fix Tk 1,700 toll for each truck, Tk 2,700 for a bus and Tk 900 for a private car, for using the Padma Bridge after its construction. On the other hand, the present rates are Tk 1,000 for a truck, Tk 1,200 for bus and Tk 500 for private car for using the Bangabandhu Bridge on the river Jamuna.

A Malaysian delegation, led by Special Envoy S Samy Vellu, handed over their draft final proposal to Communications Minister Obaidul Quader at Setu Bhaban Monday.

The minister, after receiving the proposal, said a high-powered body of the government will take the decision on the proposal, following evaluation by the project's technical committee.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), the executing agency of the project, has a panel of experts, led by Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, and several technical committees to evaluate its procurement process.

The officials said the latest Malaysian proposal has included some important construction related works like river training, which were earlier excluded from the total project cost submitted in last May. But it has excluded various other costs, like tax, vat, supervision consultant fee etc.

"If other costs are included with the cost, as submitted in the Malaysian latest proposal, the total project cost may go much higher than its present estimated cost of $ 2.9 billion," said an official.

The cost of the Padma Multi-purpose Bridge Project was estimated $ 2.9 with the design of a two-tier bridge with steel truss composite. The total cost, however, included part of the government's cost for land acquisition, resettlement, project office operation, and payment of tax, interest and supervision consultant fee etc.

A member of the project's panel of experts said $2.12 billion was estimated for construction of the bridge, considering price escalation until 2015, and the rest of the amount has been estimated for costs of resettlement, river training and construction supervision etc.

However, Bridge Division Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam declined to make any comment about the Malaysian latest proposal, but said the Bridge Division will assess the cost by its technical experts. It will need time to evaluate the Malaysian proposal, he also said.

When asked about the meetings with Malaysia, the secretary also declined to comment and said, "We will seek the opinion from the technical experts of the Padma Bridge project and go accordingly."

The governments of Bangladesh and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last April to implement the project under public-private partnership arrangement on build, operate, own and transfer basis.

After the signing of the MoU, delegations from Malaysia visited the country four times and submitted different proposals, including financial arrangement for funding the project.

Full Report:
KL now estimates Padma Bridge cost at $2.8b

 

[Riteon]

Indian Hindu's had the troll mode on since Muslims invaded India.

Hain !! dude what crap trolling is that !!

This DEal is the worst !! this is plain looting...........will the Bangla govt agree to this !!!!!