Finance Minister AMA Muhith was subjected to MPs' wrath following a statement he made that projects are being implemented in various parts of the country under certain allocations, reports UNB.
The MPs seemingly disagreed with Muhith's claim, raising their voice to claim no project is being implemented under the Tk 250 million block allocation, while Muhith was seen saying "No, no, no. Projects are being implemented in many areas including my area." As the disgruntled MPs kept shouting, Muhith repeatedly pleaded with them, "No, no, no. Listen to me, listen to me."
He said the MPs had been asked to submit proposals under the allocation properly, and those who did so received necessary approvals with funds disbursed accordingly. The finance minister said he is not the one responsible for looking after the projects' implementation - the Local Government Department does it upon fund disbursement.
The issue came up for discussion when Awami League MP Shamim Osman placed a supplementary question saying the funds for the Tk 250 million (road dev) projects for the fiscal year 2014-2015 had not been allocated, nor disbursed.
He said one year has already passed, but there has been no allocation. "We've given a commitment to the people. We know our finance minister is a big-hearted person and he'll look into it."
Later, senior treasury bench member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim backed Shamim Osman's claim and said, "The reality is that the fund has not been allocated."
He said no MPs sitting in the front rows of the chamber received the allocation yet for projects proposed by them. "There might be bureaucratic complexities."
The AL MP also said they had received the allocation in the previous fiscal year.
Referring to Muhith's claim, Selim said the finance minister might have gotten the allocation. "Please take initiatives within a week to resolve the complexities."
In response, Muhith said, "I stand by my previous statement." He also clarified to his colleagues that he has no right to allocate the funds - rather the allocations were finalised in the budget.
Commerce Minister, Tofail Ahmed, after the question-answer session took the floor on a point of order and said none of them got the allocation, even the finance minister did not get the allocation.
"Actually, none of us got it, not even the Finance Minister. There's nothing to cause any misunderstanding over the matter," he said.
Tofail informed the House that he had talked to the authorities concerned in the matter over phone, and learned they were still finalising the DPPs (Development Project Proposal), he added.
