World Bank country director for Bangladesh Mercy Miyang Tembon has congratulated Bangladesh and its public on completion of Padma Bridge, the landmark project connecting both sides of Padma River.

"Now is the time to move Bangladesh-World Bank relations forward. The Padma Bridge will make a huge contribution to the economic growth of Bangladesh," she said in a statement Saturday (25 June).

She also noted that as a long-term development partner of Bangladesh, the World Bank recognizes that the Padma Bridge will bring multidimensional benefits to the people and economy of Bangladesh.

"This bridge will contribute to accelerating integrated growth in the country and reducing poverty," she added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has arrived at Mawa to inaugurate the 6.15km bridge.

The World Bank, initially agreeing to co-finance the project, had filed a case in 2012 alleging corruption in the Padma Bridge project and backing out.

However, a Canadian court ruled that all allegations made by the World Bank are false, fabricated and baseless.

After that, the government decided not to take a loan from the World Bank.

The Padma Bridge project has been implemented at a cost of Tk30,193.39 crore with almost 100% internal funding which is believed to bring a new world to the country's economy by connecting 21 southwestern districts through roads and railways with the capital.

Starting in 1999 with a pre-feasibility study, construction of the bridge, which has since generated numerous headlines, has had its share of delays and even courted controversy.

The construction of the bridge was supposed to start in 2015, but the cancellation of foreign aid for it and an increasing depth of the river, among other complications, delayed the work.