PM disapproves lawmakers’ proposal of naming Padma bridge after her
Two treasury bench lawmakers proposed in parliament today that the under-construction Padma bridge be named after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but the PM gestured her unwillingness.
Awami League MPs Pankaj Nath and Mohammad Iqbal Hossain made the proposal while taking part in the thanksgiving motion on the president's speech in parliament.
"I want to propose that Padma bridge should be named after our Prime Minister, who is symbol of development and initiative," Iqbal said.
As he said it, the prime minister shook her head, signalling her disagreement with the proposal.
"The prime minister is a modest person; she would not want that [naming the Padma bridge after her], but we have some responsibilities and accountability too," Iqbal said amid table-thumbing by lawmakers.
Later Pankaj Nath also made a similar proposal.
He said the PM took a bold decision to go ahead with implementation of the project with the country's own funds when donors had cancelled their funding.
"She [PM] is a modest person but we are not ungrateful," he added.
On Tuesday, a Supreme Court lawyer filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive on authorities concerned of the government to name the Padma bridge as "Sheikh Hasina Bridge" considering her contribution to building it.
Md Kamruzzaman submitted the petition as a public interest litigation stating that most of the country's people desired naming the bridge after the prime minister as she took the challenge of building it with the country's own fund.
Kamruzzaman told The Daily Star that the HC may hold a hearing on the petition next week.
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