ACC report identifies 10 areas of graft in PWD

FE Team | Published: October 09, 2019 22:47:44

FE Report
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found evidence of graft in different stages of work of Public Works Department (PWD) starting from tender to implantation and maintenance of projects.
The possible areas where corruption is committed were revealed in a report prepared by the commission.
The report was submitted to Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim on Wednesday at his office.
ACC commissioner Dr Mozammel Haque Khan handed over the report to the minister that identified 10 areas of graft at PWD and proposed 20-point recommendation to curb irregularities in the department.
The commission found evidence of corruption in different phases of tender process - defying standard tender process to award work order to favourable bidder, non-response to general bidders by making tender requirements complex, unusual rate estimation of works to benefit specific contractor, taking projects on smaller packages, and not implementing projects as per tender requirements.
The other areas of graft includes - using substandard construction materials, formulation, supervision, implementation and monitoring of projects, less allocation than requirement, unnecessary escalation in project cost, delaying finalisation of project design, non-cooperation of PWD officials in service delivery, halting bills even after completion of works, and issuing partial bills to the contractors to create scope of bribe.
The ACC recommendations to ease corruption at PWD include - full implementation of e-government procurement (e-GP) for transparent tender process, making drawing, design and estimation of project at PWD and approving it from recipient organisation, black listing contractors that don't finish work in time, introducing e-filing for document management and introducing estimating and accounting software, two-step monitoring system to ensure quality of work, modernising PWD training academy and testing laboratory.
Ensuring strictly following master plan and building code in construction, identifying the names of PWD officials who are involved in construction firms, formation of two units for project estimation and implementation separately and arranging public hearings regularly to ensure transparency and accountability of construction work were also re-commended.
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