Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday denounced some media reports regarding the interim government's move to purchase cars for members of the next cabinet.
"Where did you see this, I don't know. We did not approve anything like this. The Public Administration ministry came-up with a proposal to this effect. I have stopped it," he told newsmen after a meeting of the Advisers' Council Committee on Government Procurement at Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital.
He, however, said he approved a proposal regarding procurement of some 300 vehicles for election officials at field levels. The Upazila Nirbahi Officers, Assistant Commissioners (land), and Deputy Commissioners will get such vehicles, he added.
Recently, some media outlets reported that the finance ministry gave approval to a proposal for buying 60 posh cars for members of the next cabinet. Each car would cost Tk 16.9 million while the total cost for the entire procurement would be Tk 1.0161 billion.
Although the finance adviser said he did not give any approval to this effect, some available documents with the Financial Express prove that such approval was given by the ministry on August 24.
A letter, issued by the Expenditure Management Wing at the Finance Division and was sent to the Ministry of Public Administration, stated that the ministry gave its approval for buying 280 cars, including 60 new Jeep cars for ministers/state-ministers/deputy ministers and people having the similar rank and status.
The total procurement, as approved by the ministry, would cost Tk 4.448 billion, according to the documents.
Dr. Ahmed, however, said the customs authorities have seized a good number of cars at Chittagong port, which were imported by the members of parliaments (MPs) of the past government. The cars are very costly ones and their prices range between Tk 40 million and Tk 60 million each.
When the National Board of Revenue (NBR) tried to sell them in auction, the participants quoted only Tk 1.0 million.
"I asked the NBR not to sell those cars. We will pass them to the government's central transport pool. There are some 30 to 40 such cars. They are very good cars," he said.
Replying to a query, the finance adviser said the depositors will get back their money after the merger of banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs).
Decision was taken for the merger of five banks, he said, adding: "We will also merge non-bank financial institutions."
The finance adviser said the central bank has identified 22 such leasing companies that are not doing well.
On his recent Japan tour, the Adviser said efforts are there to send some 0.1 million skilled workers there.
syful-islam@outlook.com
