Govt agencies in scramble for buying cars, jeeps

Many government agencies are now in a scramble for purchasing cars from the project funds.
The Rural Electrification Board (REB) alone will purchase 74 vehicles under a project at a cost of Tk 122 million, officials said Friday.
Of the vehicles, two would be given to two top officials-- a member of the Planning Commission and the chief of the planning wing of the Power Division although both of them are now using luxury cars, the officials said. The REB has also set aside Tk 92.40 million funds for maintenance and fuel for the 74 vehicles, official documents reveal. The state-owned REB has undertaken a Tk 51.98 billion project for electrification upgradation in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.
Official sources said the REB would purchase 16 luxury jeeps, each costing Tk 5.0 million. Out of the 16 jeeps, one will be given to a Planning Commission Member and another one to the planning wing chief of the Power Division for their daily use. The remaining 14 jeeps will be used by the REB officials.
Besides, the REB will also buy 10 double-cabin pick-ups, each of which will cost Tk 3.0 million, and 48 motorbikes each costing Tk 0.25 million, official sources said.
The REB will not only give two luxury jeeps to the two top officials, but also provide maintenance and fuel costs for their operation.
According to the project proposal, each of the 16 jeep holders will receive Tk 25,000 for fuel and Tk 17,000 for maintenance every month.
Besides, each of the allottees of 10 pick-ups will also get Tk 25,000 for fuel and Tk 17,000 for maintenance and each of the 48 motorcycle users will get Tk 2,500 for oil and Tk 1,500 as maintenance cost every month.
A senior Power Division official told the FE that the REB would implement its largest project worth Tk 51.98 billion where it needs some vehicles for smooth project activities.
Besides, the Planning Commission and the fund provider-- the World Bank-know details about the project and they agreed with the vehicle purchase plan, he said requesting anonymity.
The World Bank will provide Tk 37.05 billion, lion's share of the Tk 51.98 billion project for the rural electrification upgradation.
In another proposed project titled "Re-powering of the Ghorasal 3rd unit," the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) recently proposed to purchase 24 vehicles at a cost of Tk 68.20 million.
The Bangladesh Railway has undertaken some 13 projects with the financial support of the $800 million Indian credit with which it would purchase more than 50 cars and motor vehicles, officials said.
Among the highest car purchasers under the development projects, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the Roads and Highways Department, the Water Development Board and different agencies under the Energy Division are on top of the list with their purchases of hundreds of cars.
A Planning Commission official said almost all the projects in Bangladesh include purchase of vehicles.
"Sometimes, we cannot obstruct approval of some over-costing projects due to pressure from the high-ups of the government," he told the FE requesting not to be named.
 "In most cases, the government agencies incur some unnecessary expenditures like car purchase, local and foreign training, consultancy and civil works in their development project proposals. Most of the time we cannot stop them," the official said.
Another Commission official said: "The cars mostly are not used for the real purpose of the projects. In many cases, the users even do not send the cars back to the project authorities after their transfer to other government organisations."
When contacted, REB chairman Brigadier General Moin Uddin was not available on his phone.