An allocation of Tk 14.23 billion has been sought for executing controversial projects taken posthaste by the Awami League government on demands from MPs in the wake of the student-mass movement that toppled it.
Local Government Division (LGD) has placed such fund request, officials said.
Initially, Tk 8.75 billion was allocated under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for these two projects, dubbed 'MP Projects', by the Ministry of Planning, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), and other related government agencies.
However, notwithstanding widespread speculations that the projects might be canceled due to the dissolution of parliament and the absence of MPs, the proposed Revised ADP (RADP) now shows an increase of around Tk 5.48 billion-or 62.63 per cent-over the original allocation.
Officials, experts and economists say local MPs under these two projects were solely responsible for selecting development schemes based on their preferences, while they often choose projects near their residence or for "political reasons".
Due to limited tendering opportunities, works are awarded to contractors chosen by the MP. As MPs oversee execution, many projects are incomplete or of poor quality.
They opine that such projects serve no purpose other than facilitating the personal gains of MPs from the previous government, wasting public funds and enriching their associates, and call for immediate termination of these two projects.
According to sources, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the Important Rural Infrastructure Development (Third Phase) Project on a Priority Basis in 2020, with an estimated cost of Tk 64.77 billion.
A sum of Tk 63.21 billion out of total was earmarked for the repairs and maintenance of rural roads, bridges, and culverts.
Members of Parliament (MPs) from 280 parliamentary constituencies outside city corporations were allocated an average of Tk 225.74 million each over four years for their respective constituencies.
Originally scheduled for completion between July 2020 and June 2024, the project's timeline has now been extended to June 2026, with a revised total cost of Tk 65.27 billion, 0.77 per cent higher than the original allocation.
On the other hand, another project titled 'General Social Infrastructure Development Project (GSIDP-2)' got approval in June 2022 with an estimated cost of Tk 10.82 billion, with a June-2026 deadline.
Some Tk 35.71 million has been allotted for each MP in the project tenure to develop social infrastructures like mosque, temple, graveyard and crematorium.
A total of 17321 infrastructures were supposed to be developed under the project with an average cost of Tk .58 million for each.
Earlier, after the formation of the Awami League government in 2009, each MP received an allocation of Tk 15 crore for the infrastructure development of their constituencies.
The project was completed from March 2010 to June 2016 spending Tk 49.92 billion.
The MPs received an additional Tk 20 crore for their respective constituencies from another project worth Tk 60.76 billion approved in 2015 following the election held in 2014 amid opposition boycott.
Official data of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the planning ministry reveals that the LGED spent 4.92 billion up to last December to implement Important Rural Infrastructure Development Project, which is around 73 per cent of the entire allocation for the fiscal year. The amount is around 46-percent higher than the half-year target of spending Tk 3.38 billion.
The LGD recently sent several letters to the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division and Programming Division of the planning commission with request for allowing release of the full allocation which was supposed to be released in the fourth quarter of the fiscal.
Similarly, the LGD sent another letter seeking an allocation worth Tk 12.03 billion under the revised ADP, which is Tk 5.28 billion or 78.22-percent higher than the original one.
On the other hand, the 'General Social Infrastructure Development Project (GSIDP-2)' spent Tk 1.32 billion, or 66 per cent of the allocation of Tk 2.0 billion. The LGD also asked for permission to release full allocation earlier.
Under the revised ADP, the LGD asked for Tk 2.2 billion for the project-10-percent higher than the original allocation.
A senior official of the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division of the planning commission says the division has decided to recommend for approval of early release of funds for both projects. The final decision would be made by the programming division of the commission.
Dr Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, Member (Senior Secretary), Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division at the planning commission, says these projects are not aligned with the priority of the current government which aims to minimize waste of public funds.
"The government has fled in the wake of the movement, and the MPs are now fugitives. In this context, the political projects initiated for these MPs cannot be allowed to continue."
However, he mentions that these projects have some components with ongoing development works, and postponing allocation for such components would increase sufferings for the projected beneficiaries. Considering these issues, the allocation for the existing components will have to be ensured and the project to be concluded without approving any new schemes.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), says the government has been misusing public funds by approving projects designed to benefit MPs since 2009.
"These projects often lack justification, as they primarily serve the MPs' interests in road development or allow their associates to profit through corrupt practices, yielding little to no public benefit," he says.
Highlighting that such financing cannot be logically defended, he suggests that any release of funds for ongoing projects should be preceded by a thorough and impartial audit conducted by a third party.
The anti-graft campaigner further emphasizes that MPs' primary responsibility is to legislate, not to engage in infrastructure development. To address this overreach, he recommends enacting a law permanently banning MPs from being involved in infrastructure-project development.
Mohammad Ruhul Amin Khan, project director for the Important Rural Infrastructure Development (Third Phase) Project, says the letter sent to the planning commission has been prepared based on a project staring committee (PSC) meeting chaired by the secretary of the LGD in the current tenure of the government.
He says works for some 4500 schemes under the project have been completed and works for another 6800 are ongoing. Additional finance would be required to complete the ongoing ones.
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