A court here on Sunday acquitted all the accused of graft charges in the much-talked-about Padma Bridge case as no evidence of ‘corruption conspiracy’ in hiring consultant for the bridge project was found by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC). Judge M Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the order after taking cognisance of the final report submitted by the national anti-graft body. On September 14, ACC deputy director Mirza Zahidul Alam, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the final report to the court. The ACC, on September 3, approved the final report clearing all the accused of graft charges as its investigation did not find any evidence of ‘corruption conspiracy’ in hiring consultant for the Padma Bridge Project. Those got the acquittal are former secretary to the Bridge Division Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, superintendent engineer (river control) of Bangladesh Bridge Authority Kazi M Ferdous, executing engineer (bridge construction and maintenance) of Roads and Highways Department M Riaz Ahmed Zaber, deputy managing director of Engineer and Planning Consultant Limited Mohammad Mustafa, former director (international project division) of SNC Lavalin Inc Mohammad Ismail, former vice president (international project division) of SNC Lavalin Ramesh Shah and former vice-president of SNC Lavalin Kevin Wallace. The anti-graft body filed the case on December 17, 2012 against the seven people for their alleged involvement in the Padma Bridge project graft dropping the names of key suspects former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain and former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury. Another case over the Padma Bridge graft is under trial in a Canadian court where Ramesh Shah, a Bangladeshi origin Canadian national, is facing trial. Ramesh Shah reportedly mentioned in his diary that four percent of commission would be given to former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain in hiring consultant for the giant the bridge project. – UNB, Dhaka
