Conspiracy against Bangladesh is nothing new. The anti-liberation forces, who were defeated in the Liberation War, are still active and engaged in diabolical conspiracies against any development work in Bangladesh. In fact, they cannot accept anything good for the welfare and development of the country.
When Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the Bangabandhu, overcoming all the roadblocks raised Bangladesh to the development highway with her charismatic and dynamic leadership, the anti-liberation forces began to hatch all-out conspiracies to foil the progress of the nation.
From the very beginning, there were vicious conspiracies against the Padma Bridge and the plots still do not cease; even now propaganda and rumours about the dream bridge are continuing.
Baffling all conspiracies at home and abroad when the bridge is near-completion and it is scheduled to be inaugurated in June 2022, the latest incident of collision by the RORO ferry Shah Jalal with a pier of the bridge right then cannot be taken lightly .The probability of a conspiracy behind the collision cannot be ruled out at all.
Subsequent investigation by the authorities concerned proved that the ferry crash with the pillar will not harm the bridge any way. Had there been any harm to the bridge, the inauguration could have been delayed sine die.
This reminds us of the heinous rumours that the bridge needs human heads and blood which spread panic and shock across the country resulting lynching and mob beating of innocent people suspecting them as child abductors.
This brutal rumour, which was fanned out in the middle of 2019 when the construction work of the dream bridge was progressing fast. It was nothing but a dirty conspiracy of the evil forces who do not want peace, stability and development in Bangladesh.
The anti-liberation evil forces have been using all means possible to obstruct and malign the development activities of the Awami League government headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Even they conspired to publicise Bangladesh to the international community as a country of militants through the barbaric attack and killings at the capital city’s Holy Artisan café on July 1, 2016.
The rumours of human heads and blood for Padma Bridge and attack at Holy Artisan café are only two examples of the countless visible and invisible conspiracies of the anti-liberation evil forces against the country as well as ruling Awami League, particularly against Sheikh Hasina , the daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After the World Bank cancelled its 1.2 billion credit for the mega project in 2012 there was an uncertainty encircling the construction of the long-awaited dream bridge. The anti-liberation forces were delighted to hear the announcement of the World Bank. But they got shocked and furious when Sheikh Hasina declared that the Padma bridge will be constructed with the country’s own financing.
And from the very day of Sheikh Hasina’s announcement for constructing the bridge, the evil forces started hatching conspiracy to foil her initiative at any cost. The dream bridge has already been constructed and finishing touch is being given. The government has announced to inaugurate the bridge in June 2022. But conspiracy of the evil forces has neither stopped nor are they sitting inactive.
The bridge could be inaugurated much earlier if the global Covid-19 pandemic had not delayed its construction work. Any type of damage or harm to the bridge now will only delay its inauguration and increase expenditure. Therefore, there is no alternative to the highest alertness and vigilance for ensuring highest security of the bridge.
There were three incidents of collision of RORO ferries with pillars of the Padma Bridge in the current month. The latest one was on July 23. The RORO ferry Shah Jalal crashed into the pier number 17 of the bridge while it was heading to the Shimulia port from Banglabazar in Madaripur.
An investigation of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) has blamed the callousness of the master and steersman of the ferry for the incident. Project Director of Padma Bridge Shafiqul Islam has also said that the collision of the ferry could do no harm to the bridge.
The ferry’s in-charge, Inland Master Officer Abdur Rahman also claimed that the accident happened as he failed to control the failure of electronic system of the vessel. Padma bridge authorities also said such type of collision cannot do any harm to the pillar or the bridge.
Whatever the findings of the BIWTC investigation or observations of the Padma bridge authorities, we should not forget that the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic also sank during her maiden voyage. As the anti-liberation evil forces are always hatching conspiracies, the government cannot but be over-cautious for the safety of the bridge.
