Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said the government is not lying about the construction of Rampal coal-fired power plant, a joint venture of Bangladesh and India.
Also the ruling Bangladesh Awami League general secretary, Quader said UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has given some ‘minor conditions’ in setting up the plant near the world heritage site Sundarbans.
The ruling party spokesman also said the government will fulfill the terms in the interests of the country and its people as well as of ecology.
He, on the other hand, accused his party rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of resorting to falsehood.
Obaidul was talking a group of newsmen in Jessore on his way to Khulna to join a party programme there.
“Awami League does not practice politics of falsehood. What we are saying is as true as broad daylight,” said the minister.
He said this is not true that the UN body has slapped a moratorium on the plant.
Regarding corruption in road construction, the road transport minister said, “Corruption is a way of life across the world.
There was corruption, but I have contained it considerably.”
When his attention was drawn to BNP’s anti-government movement, the AL general secretary said, “They [BNP leaders] only hold press conferences and cry for the plight their activists, but they killed thousands of our activists. We have cried our eyes dry.”
He said the AL is not taking revenge of those “killings”.