The Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has found irregularities and nepotism in relief programmes conducted by government agencies in the 28 flood-affected districts this year.
Even parts of the allocated relief funds were used as visit costs of ministers in marooned areas, TIB executive director Iftekharuzza-man told a press conference on Sunday.
The event was convened to reveal a TIB study styled 'Preparedness for Fighting Floods 2019 and Observing Transparency in Relief Activities' at its Dhaka office.
The study covers 10 most flood-hit sub-districts in Jamalpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura and Sylhet districts that underwent the calamity from July to August.
More than 74 per cent of the 683 families surveyed in the sub-districts complained that they received less relief materials than they were supposed to.
A staggering 86 per cent of flood victims at shelter centres also said of inadequate relief.
The study cited that only Tk 20-767 was given to flood-stricken families to repair their damaged homes.
In Gaibandha Sadar, only Tk 20 was given on average to repair a completely damaged house against the estimated requiring costs of Tk 17,333.
Even only Tk 4.0-76 was given to each household as cash relief from government funds, it added.
Nearly 0.1 million families witnessed total damage and 1.3 million partially due to floods that marooned 4.0 million people, according to the report.
According to TIB, 0.145 million hectares of land got damaged and farmers incurred Tk 1,006 for seedbed, Tk 26,252 for paddy field and Tk 0.148 million for fisheries.
A total of 119 people died in the floods, most of them by drowning.
Mr Zaman said, "Considering strong disaster management policies, it looks Bangladesh is pretty good at handling disasters, but visiting field level showed a different story."
Each victim family on the government list was supposed to receive 10 kilogram of rice in an installment, but families in six of the surveyed areas never got it.
The TIB report shows the flood-affected families at Ulipur of Kurigram and Gwainghat of Sylhet received as low as 2.0 kg of rice each.
About 17 per cent of the surveyed victims did not get any relief despite having their names on the government list, the report said.
Above 7.0 per cent of people, however, alleged that they had to bribe to get relief materials.
It was also alleged that many families, some of them relatives of local government representatives, received relief supplies manifold.
Local union parishad chairmen said each sack of rice shipping from upazila headquarters to union parishads cost Tk 15, but they were given no money for transport.
According to the report, the local representatives recovered the money from the affected people.
The TIB report also revealed that relief funds were used to cover trips of the disaster management and relief minister to the flooded districts.
Mr Zaman said, "Visiting flood-hit people is part of our political culture. It's also the responsibility of a minister to go and see the people in need."
It is illegal to take relief funds for covering such expenses of a minister, he observed.
TIB programme manager Mahfuzul Haque and deputy programme manager Newazul Moula presented the report that pointed out the disproportionate distribution of relief as the marker of political favouritism.
The report said floods in July completely damaged 34,999 houses and 0.5 million were damaged partially.
Although flood was forecast, it said, preparedness was poor and post-flood rehabilitation was even poorer.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
