Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said if anyone needs a painting of Padma Multipurpose Bridge, the government can provide them one.
She said she presented a painting on Padma Multipurpose Bridge to the World Bank president David Malpass to show that Bangladesh has very good painters.
The premier made the remarks at a press conference held at Ganabhaban on Monday afternoon on the outcome of her recent three-nation visit to Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom from April 25 to May 9, 2023.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently presented a painting on Padma Multipurpose Bridge to the World Bank president David Malpass on May 2 which got a positive response on social media.
When reporters asked in this regard at the press conference on Monday, she said: "We have taken the painting to show that there are very good painters in our country who can make very good paintings."
“If anyone in the world needs a painting, they can ask us. And the theme of the painting is - the most favorite place of the people of Bangladesh is - Padma Bridge. That's it, nothing else there.”
The World Bank had cancelled its $1.2 billion credit for the Padma Bridge project in 2012 citing a corruption conspiracy involving Bangladeshi officials, executives of a Canadian firm and some individuals.
But the WB could not place any proof in favour of their claim while a Canadian court in 2017 found no evidence of Padma Bridge bribery conspiracy.
PM Hasina has repeatedly denied the allegation as false and went ahead with self-financing the iconic bridge and opened it on June 25 last year.