News & Visuals

Inspection Panel receives Request to Investigate Jamuna Bridge Project in Bangladesh

​CONTACT: Antonia M. Macedo

Telephone: (202) 458-5006

WASHINGTON, D.C. August 27, 1996--The independent Inspection Panel for the World Bank yesterday registered a request for an investigation of aspects of the $696 million bridge project to span the Jamuna River in Bangladesh. This is the fourth investigation request to be accepted for processing by the Panel.

The request has been filed by the Jamuna Char Integrated Development Project, an organization representing char people in the project area who claim that their property rights have or may be harmed by the partly Bank-financed project. They allege that policies and procedures of the International Development Association ("IDA") have not been observed.

Under Inspection Panel procedures IDA Management will respond to the claims made in the request no later than September 25, 1996. No later than 21 days after the Inspection Panel receives this response, it will make a recommendation to IDA's Executive Directors on whether or not the request should be investigated. The Executive Directors will then decide whether or not to accept or reject the Panel's recommendation.

The World Bank Executive Directors established the three member independent Inspection Panel over two years ago to hear complaints from groups of private citizens who believe that they have or might suffer harm from a Bank-financed project as a result of its failure to observe policies and procedures.

Copies of the Notice of Registration are available at the Bank's Public Information Center (Tel: (202) 458-5454) and on INTERNET through Inspection Panel, address: http://www.worldbank.org