Opposition Chief Begum Khaleda Zia is Back Bangladesh

 Ex-Primminister Begum Khaleda Zia

 Opposition Chief Ex-Primminister Begum Khaleda Zia has returned home from New York after concluding her fortnight-long tour of the UK and the USA. She arrived by an Emirates Airlines flight around 5pm on Sunday. Senior leaders of the party greeted her with flowers outside the VIP lounge at Shahjalal International Airport.

 Ex-Primminister Begum Khaleda Zia

She was conferred a special honour during her stay in the USA by New Jersey Senate.

The party, along with its factions, accorded her a grand reception outside the airport.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Dhaka City mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka and acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were among those present at the airport.

Ex-Primminister Begum Khaleda Zia

The BNP chairperson left Dhaka for London on May 14 and began her USA tour from May 21.

During her weeklong stay in the USA, Khaleda called on US vice president Joe Biden's security advisor Tony Blinken, Bangladesh's congressional caucus co-chair Joseph Crowly and three other influential congressmen in Washington. Prior to her US visit, the BNP chief met her eldest son Tarique Rahman in London after over three years. She had also met various other political leaders, including former British prime minister Gordon Brown, in the UK.

-----------------------------News Source: bdnews24.com

Dhaka Bangladesh Padma bridge Made cost rises to $2.4 bln

Padma bridge cost rises to $2.4 bln: Muhith

Dhaka, Dec 21 —The estimated cost of the Padma bridge has escalated to staggering US$2.4 billion, said finance minister AMA Muhith Monday.

The finance minister said this after an inter-ministerial meeting on the bridge construction held Monday.

"The initially estimated cost of building the bridge was $1.4 billion, which increased to $2.4 billion at the end of today's (Monday) meeting," said Muhith.

The caretaker government had put cost to around $1.4 billion, which later rose to $1.8 billion after a revision, he said.

The present government, immediately coming to power, enhanced the cost at $1.9 billion, which will be implemented with loans from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.

Muhith said, "The WB will provide $1.2 billion, the ADB $550 million, IDB $120 million and JICA $300 million. Abu Dhabi Development Group will lend $31 million."

The rest of the fund will be mobilised locally through issuing bonds and other means.

Muhith said the Padma Bridge work order will be hopefully issued in 2010 after fulfilling the tender process.

The bridge construction will be completed during the incumbent government's tenure, which ends in 2013, he hoped.