Over the last one decade, Computer Network System Limited or CNS is the lone company that has obtained all work orders through tenders floated by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to deliver services to clients through information technology.
The company is also getting the contract to collect tax and fees from vehicles too.
Sources concerned said certain conditions are set in every tender so that no organisation other than CNS has the scope to get the work. As a result, vehicle owners, drivers and service recipients have to get services in inflated costs.
Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Service (BASIS) said there are many organisations competent to provide these services for BRTA. Almost all of their 1,600 members are capable of performing such work. Many organisations are discouraged by the unnecessary conditions.
Road transport ministry sources said CNS has so far got work contracts of around Tk 6.50 billion from BRTA in last one decade.
It creates suspicion if the same organisation gets almost all the work of a government department. Harming open competition by attaching certain conditions means there is a syndicate of corrupt persons. And the burden of corruption ultimately falls on the shoulders of the people.
Currently CNS is carrying out five jobs of BRTA. The organisation's managing director Monir Uz Zaman stays in Bangladesh and USA.
BRTA sources said the army's Machine Tools Factory is setting up digital number plates for vehicles and providing digital registration cards or smart cards for vehicle owners.
The Machine Tools Factory is a government organisation so it does not need to participate in the tender.
Road transport ministry sources said a section of officials at the ministry and BRTA are involved in providing all work to CNS. They attach conditions in favour of CNS. Competitors are trapped in these conditions.
On 25 November 2020, prime minister Sheikh Hasina at an ECNEC meeting gave directives not to give the work of more than one project to one contractor. But the directives have been flouted by BRTA.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, BRTA chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder said technical persons prepare conditions and oversee the appointment f contractors. Everything is done in accordance with the public procurement rules (PPR).
About setting conditions in favour of a particular organisation, he is unaware of such activities.
When asked how a single organisation repeatedly gets work, Nur Mohammad Mazumder said, "They are getting work as they are more competent than the others."
Condition traps and double costs
CNS' largest job is to collect tax and fees from vehicles. They are doing this since 2010. It took Tk 780 million in first five years and Tk 1.84 billion in five years since 2016. The proposal to recruit CNS for Tk 2.18 billion for the next five years has been sent for approval to the cabinet committee on public procurement. BRTA floated tender for this work in February this year.
BRTA sources said there was no hard conditions in the tender for the first time. As a result CNS easily got the work. Later, conditions were attached every time in favour of CNS.
According to records, the first condition in the tender is the contractor has to have 10 years of experience in the information technology. The second and third conditions are almost same. The main thing is that it has to have experience to collect real time online computerised tax or revenue from scheduled or semi-government or autonomous banks from 25 areas of 20 districts in Bangladesh. It has to have experience of work worth Tk 350 billion in the last three years.
The fourth condition is to have deals with five scheduled banks or sign fresh MoUs to collect tax and fees from the vehicles.
After obtaining this work in 2010, CNS has signed agreements or MoUs with various financial organisations including 18 private banks and bKash.
Five aggrieved companies lodged complaints with the road transport ministry and BRTA claiming that the conditions have been attached to provide work to CNS.
The companies are: IBCS-Primax Software Limited, Leads Corporation Limited, Smart Technology BD Limited, Tiger IT and Computer Services Limited.
BASIS president Syed Almas Kabir said such conditions should not be given in a tender so that only a few companies qualify for the work as it harms the competition.
He said the government organisation can take assistance from BASIS in making conditions and specifications when floating tenders.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, CNS MD Monir Uz Zaman said there is no big change in conditions this year from the last year. As they are qualified, they got the work, he claimed.
BRTA campaigns tax and fees of vehicles can be deposited in over 600 branches of 18 banks.
It pays CNS to engage two persons and necessary equipment including computers at each branch.
While visiting the spots, Prothom Alo correspondent found the dedicated branches of many banks do not take tax and fees for vehicles.
There is no dedicated person or necessary equipment.
BRTA sources said tax and fees are taken in all branches of NRBC as most of CNS business transactions and deposited money are with the bank.
BRTA under the control of CNS
With the assistance of South Korea, a system of automated fitness examination has been set up at BRTA office in Mirpur. This is the Vehicle Inspection Centre (VIC). BRTA signed an agreement with CNS of Tk 1.05 billion to enhance its capacity, installation of equipment and its management on 10 November 2020.
BRTA sources said South Korea showed interest to do the job but BRTA did not respond.
Integrated System (IS) is the online communication among the BRTA offices. CNS has been doing this work since 2009. In the beginning, agreements were signed every two years.
In 2019, CNS was given five years for this work. A total of Tk 290 million is involved in it.
CNS is also in charge of BRTA service portal. Through this, the entire data base of BRTA is under the control of CNS. They have got it under the a2i project.
Monir Uz Zaman claimed they got the work for their experience and skill.
He said, "We are collecting toll from big bridges. The collection of Meghna-Gomati bridge has gone up after we have got the work."
Scanning cost of every page is Tk 6.20
In 2019, BRTA signed an agreement with CNS to scan vehicles' registration related files and to keep them in online archives. Under the agreement of Tk 280 million, CNS will take Tk 6.28 for scanning per page.
BRTA officials themselves termed this price abnormal. They said BRTA is to be given a car under the agreement. CNS will provide driver, cost of registration and fuel. Besides, there is a condition that CNS will facilitate the trip of significant number of officials in the Asia-Pacific countries. CNS has not yet fulfilled these two conditions.
Work same, tender different
There are some loopholes in the agreement with CNS so that they can realise addition money from the clients. A figure of amount has been obtained as to how much fees CNS has realised between 1 and 18 June 2020.
As per the records, a total of 25,873 licenses have been delivered and renewed in 18 days. CNS earned Tk 1.5 million. They have earned Tk 59 per license. At the same time, a total of 45 licenses for conductors have been delivered and renewed. They have earned Tk 1800. They have earned Tk 40 for per license.
They take Tk 60 for tax and renewal of a car. However, they take Tk 50 for tax of a motorbike. The tax of a car is to be paid every year whereas the tax of a motorbike has to be paid once in ten years.
About the matter, CNS MD Monir Uz Zaman said there are additional costs in some transactions. For thism one is different from another. In this year's tender, the cost has been kept same.
BRTA, however, said there is no reason of additional costs in these transactions.
Besides, banks collect BRTA money free of cost. The banks can keep this money for three days. Later, the money is deposited to Bangladesh Bank. In this way, different banks on behalf BRTA collected Tk 17 billion in 2019-20. Besides, Tk 12 billion is collected as advanced income tax for NBR.
BRTA sources said CNS also fixes which banks will collect tax and fees. They show 18 banks and several financial organisations as their business partners.
The income banks earns keeping the public money for several days, CNS gets a portion of it as commission.
Transparency International Bangladesh executive director Ifthekharuzzaman told Prothom Al that it creates suspicion if the same organisation gets almost all the work of a government department. Harming open competition by attaching certain conditions means there is a syndicate of corrupt persons. And the burden of corruption ultimately falls on the shoulders of the people. So the road transport ministry or the government should investigate the matter and take action against those responsible.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.