CAG raises 605 audit objections of Tk 48.15b for 22 ministries

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FE Report A total of 605 audit objections involving Tk 48.15 billion (Tk 4815.13 crore) have been raised in the latest reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh (CAG). The CAG submitted the audit reports for the fiscal years of 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-11 to the President Tuesday covering public expenditure of 22 ministries. Ahmed Ataul Hakeem, comptroller and auditor general, submitted a compilation of the reports to President Md. Zillur Rahman at his office in the capital yesterday. The CAG produced eight audit reports on the banking division, the internal resources division and the finance division-all under the finance ministry - questioning the spending of Tk 10.53 billion. The auditors have identified Tk 7.73 billion irregularities at the ministry of railway in 15 separate objections for the fiscal 2009-10. Following the railways ministry-related objections, auditors identified Tk 7.29 billion irregularities in 19 objections involving Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) during the year 2009-10. Tk 5.49 billion objections were raised in 32 'cases' in different state-owned banks and financial institutions under the ministry of finance for the fiscal 2008-09. It also submitted reports to the President on objections about Tk 2.70 billion in irregularities in 14 objections involving Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) in 2007-08 and 2008-09 fiscals. The power, energy and mineral resources ministry was held responsible for unaccounted-for spending of Tk 12.92 billion. The auditor also charged with irregularities the housing and public works ministry involving Tk 5.94 billion, the local government and rural development ministry involving Tk 1.12 billion and the civil aviation and tourism ministry for Tk 1.16 billion. The industries, defence, food and disaster management, shipping, agriculture, Liberation War affairs, fisheries and foreign affairs ministries were found involved in irregularities amounting to Tk 2.59 billion. The CAG in his summery said that it has contributed to the recovery of Tk 80 billion from audit objections, although the government allocated Tk 940 million for the audit department. A senior official at the CAG said that the office only raised objections against the ministries because they were sure about the irregularities. The ministries would, however, get a chance to defend their positions when the Public Accounts Committee summoned their secretaries, seeking explanation, he added. At least Taka 500 billion remained unrealised since 1972 as the successive public accounts committees were not proactive with a few exceptions like the present one, he added. The CAG office will place the audit and accounts reports before Parliament within a couple of days.