Foreign tour expenses are heavier than project cost
Photo: Barta24
Festival had been going on in the Environment, Forests and Climatic change ministry in the name of acquiring skills. Officials of the ministry have toured abroad from ten to eleven times. Officials of the ministry have done this huge expenditure in the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) project of the ministry.
Most of the officials who went abroad to earn skills have gone to retirement in last ten years. The few remaining skilled officials have been transferred to other ministries. So in true sense no fruitful results were achieved. It did not come in the benefit of the government or the nation.
While out of total Taka 284 crore 78 lakh 98 thousand of the project Taka 221 crore 47 lakh 33 thousand were already spent. The duration of the project was also ended but nothing visible could be achieved. Taka 182 crore was shown spent for the salary of the employees of the project. Taka 33 crore was spent on media campaign. For washing clothes Taka one lakh was spent. No one of the project was left for foreign tours. Right from Mayor Saiyed Khokon of DSCC, Councilors to TI of police and almost all made foreign tours.
In the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee strong resentment was expressed. Suggestions were given to re –scrutinize the project in the IMED.
These were available in going through the parliamentary documents.
It was observed that though the duration of the project did not cross ten years yet the nine vehicles of the projects have become inoperative. Project Director (PD) Manjurul Hannan alone uses three vehicles. Though the project expired he did not return the vehicles. He kept the vehicles in his possession in the excuse of further extending the duration of the project.
Though the project expired on last June 30 but the concerned of the project officials are trying to extend the project. Earlier the project was extended for one time. The project began in 2009. It was supposed to end in June of 2014. Next it was extended up to June of 2019.
To earn skill former Minister Anowar Hossain Manju, his PS, APS toured abroad. But the ministry gave the list excluding the name of the minister, PS and APS.
In the working paper TI of police, sample collector and many others have toured foreign countries. Taka 33 crore was shown as foreign tour costs, for media campaign the cost was 33 crore, for exhibition purpose the cost was Taka 10 lakh, for cultural program the cost was Taka 9 lakh, consultancy cost was Taka 33 crore and Taka one lakh was spent for washing the clothes of the officials of the project.
293 persons were sent abroad during last ten years. The high officials toured USA and Norway but the lower grade official toured India, China, Thailand and some other neighboring countries. The real object was only one that to plunder the money.
There were high irregularities in appointing the consultants of the project. Most of the trainers have gone to retirement before the expiry of the project. Even some of the policy makers of the project to justify their irregularities sent people abroad to collect samples.
Besides some officials toured abroad several times even they toured 12 times. Even police men who had worked here as protection of the project officials also toured foreign countries. About half of total estimated budget amounting to Taka 182 crore was paid as the salary of the project employees and officials.
After observing the irregularities of CASE project the parliamentary standing committee has expressed resentment and surprise.
The president of the committee Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP told bartatwentyfour.com that in the name of training huge number of people were sent abroad. Though huge money was spent but we are not getting any benefit from the project. He said that there must be some policy that the persons who can render service for at least 10 to 15 years they should have been sent so that the nation can get service.
He said that most of the trained personnel have gone to retirement or have been transferred to other ministries then what benefit we got.
We have recommended for sending the whole project documents to IMED for re- evaluation.
The officials of the project who made number visits at project cost included Assistant Project Director Shah Rezwan Hayat (11 times ), PD Nasiruddin, Shamshur Rahman Khan, PD Manjurul Hannan, Kazi Manirul Islam, Mijanur Rahman, Shahnaj Rahman, Neel Ratan Sarkar and in total 293 persons toured abroad.
The parliamentary standing committee members think that the officials of the project were benefitted personally than the project. In the list there are city mayor, councilors, officials of the city corporation, local government officials and OC of DMP.
