No Objection to Punitive Measures: Chinese Ambassador

China's ambassador Li Jiming said he would have no objection to taking punitive measures as recommended by the report of the committee formed on the Girder accident.

The Ambassador spoke for the first time after the preliminary investigation revealed the negligence of the contractor in the case of the under-construction bus rapid transit (BRT) project in the capital's Uttara.

He said this during a meeting with Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division ABM Amin Ullah Noori at the Secretariat on Thursday (August 18) morning.

At this time, Li Jiming expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life in the girder accident and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

He said that a high-level delegation of the construction contractor of the Roads and Highways Department section of the Dhaka BRT project has arrived in Bangladesh from China to investigate on behalf of the company. The delegation is ready to provide necessary assistance to the inquiry committee constituted by the Road Transport and Highways Department.

The Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division said that the entire nation is saddened by this tragic accident. Safety is paramount in any development work he undertakes. We have included an expert from BUET in the committee formed to investigate the incident. The committee has been asked to submit its final report within the next seven days. Strict legal action will be taken as per the recommendations of the report.

At that time, Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department AKM Monir Hossain Pathan, Additional Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Department Neelima Akhtar, Managing Director of BRT Project Safiqul Islam, Head of Project Consultant Team Tig Makrin, Road Transport and Highways Department and officials related to the project were present.