Spl body formed to take stock of ICT programmes

A nine-member committee has been formed to review the development projects, procurement plans, and programmes implemented by the ICT Division and its subsidiaries over the past 15 years (2009-2024).

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division Additional Secretary Mahbubur Rahman heads the special body while Deputy Secretary (Planning and Development) of the division Md. Siddiqur Rahman Talukder is the member secretary.

The committee has already held its first meeting this week, which was attended by representatives from various key organisations, including the Hi-Tech Park Authority, a2i Project, and the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC).

However, representatives from the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) and the Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU), responsible for evaluating government procurement, were absent, as their respective officials are yet to be selected.

Additionally, a technical expert was also missing from the meeting.

The committee will assess the progress of 22 ongoing projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the fiscal year 2024-25 as well as the remaining tasks and their necessity.

So far, 33 projects have been completed by the eight organisations under the ICT Division. The committee will thoroughly evaluate the overall impact and necessity of these projects.

Mr Rahman told reporters on Wednesday that numerous projects were initiated under the leadership of the former State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

The committee has requested information on all these projects and will investigate any potential issues or instances of corruption, he said.

Mr Rahman emphasised that some unnecessary sectors, such as consultant services, were included in the project costs, which will also be scrutinised. The committee's mandate is to thoroughly assess all aspects of the projects.

The committee has not set any timeline but will work swiftly and efficiently, despite additional responsibilities of the members, in the national interest.

The review will encompass various aspects, including project procurement processes, public-private partnership (PPP) evaluations, project completion reports (PCRs), and audit findings.

The committee will also consider the fairness of PPP contracts and assess how beneficial these projects have been to the public. Any unnecessary expenditure will be identified during the evaluation.

The committee will review the latest progress reports of ongoing projects.

A representative from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and an investigative institution will be included as technical experts to assist in investigating corruption allegations.

If needed, IT experts from other organisations will also be brought on board.

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