Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has resorted to falsehood over Padma Bridge as the implementation of mega projects has made her jealous.

He made the remarks while talking to reporters after a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and India at the Town Hall in Ramgarh municipality of Khagrachhari over the proposed Bangladesh-India Friendship Bridge-1 over the Feni River in Ramgarh upazila, reports the UNB.

While addressing a discussion arranged by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the capital on Tuesday marking its 39th founding anniversary, the BNP chief said the government will not be able to construct the Padma Bridge during its tenure.

‘The Padma Bridge can’t be constructed during the Awami League tenure. Even, if they somehow construct the bridge, please don’t get on it as there’ll be a huge risk,’ she had said.

Mentioning that the next general election will be held under the Election Commission, not Sheikh Hasina, Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, alleged that Khaleda is blackmailing people for fear of defeat in the polls.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla was present at the meeting.

Later, the minister along with the Indian envoy visited the bridge site at Sonaipool.

A delegation, led by Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), Government of Tripura, Shantanu and comprising senior officials from the NHIDCL and PWD Department, government of Tripura, accompanied them.

The proposed bridge over the Feni River is being funded by the government of India under grant assistance to Bangladesh and constructed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Authority of India (NHIDCL).

Once completed, the bridge will provide direct road connectivity between South Tripura and Chittagong through Sabroom (India) - Ramgarh (Bangladesh) link, and will further promote trade, tourism and people-to-people ties between Tripura and Bangladesh, and benefit the entire region.

Test piling work on the Indian side has already started and the same is expected to start on the Bangladesh side shortly.

The bridge is expected to be completed by April 2020, according to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.