Over Tk 152m spent for foreign trips in clean air project

In the implementation of a Tk 2.85 billion (Tk 285 crore) project, a big amount of Tk 1.23 billion (Tk 123 crore) has been spent for the officials’ foreign trips in the name of training, consultancy fees, purchase of vehicles and construction of a building, official record shows.

Now the standing committee on ministry of environment, forest and climate change has raised a question about the process of the implementation of the project.

The parliamentary watchdog thinks the expenditure of the project is not consistence with the objective. The committee is set to refer the matter to the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the planning ministry.

Environment and forest ministry additional secretary Manjurul Hannan Khan was the project director.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said the World Bank (WB) financed the project. The World Bank and the government have looked after it, the project director said adding there is no scope of irregularities in this type of project.

About the foreign trips, Manjurul Hannan Khan said the government is giving priority on training and it is part of the project.

When asked about the fall of air quality, the project director said the scope to monitor air quality has been created for the first time through this project.

The cause of air pollution has been identified, Manjurul said adding it is now time to go for an action. The environment department alone cannot do it, he said.

The environment department spent a total of Tk 2.21 billion (Tk 221 crore) in last 10 years. The fund was spent through the project titled ‘Clean Air & Sustainable Environment (CASE)’.

The project was completed in June 2019 beginning in 2009. Meanwhile, the quality of air has worsened further.

According to official records, some 296 officials went abroad to receive training in 10 years under the project. An official also made trips 10 times.

Four ministers were in charge during the period. At the beginning, current information minister Hasan Mahmud was in charge of the environment and forest ministry. Later Jatiya Party (JP) chairman Anwar Hossain Manju and Jatiya Party (JaPa) Anisul Islam Mahmud were the ministers respectively. Now Shahab Uddin is the minister of environment, forest and climate.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Anwar Hossain Manju said the largest portion of money of the foreign-funded projects is spent for foreign trips in the name of training, consultancy fees and purchase. “We take money accepting the conditions. Same thing has happened in this project, and this trend continues.” The statements of other ministers were not available.

According to the department of environment, another project titled ‘Air Quality Management Project’ was taken between 2001 and 2006. After an interval of two years, CASE was launched. After completion of these two projects, the tenure of air pollution in the capital has increased further, according to Air Quality Index under the environment department. Besides, the level of air pollution in most of the districts is increasing regularly. Several studies by Dhaka University and private sectors also found that the level of air pollution has increased. Even new sources of air pollution are emerging, the studies say.

Professor of chemistry department at Dhaka University, Abdus Salam said, “We have got concepts about the level and type of air pollution through the projects. But there is a question as to what these concepts have done in reducing the air pollution. We have seen that air pollution in most of the districts including Dhaka increased in last ten years.”

He also said the air pollution earlier was outside the houses. Now polluted air is entering into houses and classrooms of the educational institutions too, DU professor said adding effective steps should be taken to tackle air pollution.

According to an ongoing study of environment researcher Atik Ahsan, air in the capital was unhealthy to serious unhealthy for 165 days in 2014. The tenure of unhealthy air increased to 173 days in 2015, decreased to 129 days in 2016, increased to 185 days in 2017 and 197 days in 2018.

The environment department in its reports also said alongside Dhaka, the air pollution of Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram is increasing gradually.

Many things remain incomplete

Officials at the environment department said five out of the ten vehicles bought under the project are now out of order.

Under the project, a Chinese company was supposed to develop a special type of bricks using ‘improved zigzag’ technology, but it didn’t do.

Housing & Building Research Institute (HBRI) was also supposed to invent a technology to produce bricks without fire. The government body also failed.

A total of 16 air quality monitoring centres have been built across the country. But, there is no plan to take care of the centres once the project is finished.

The part of the project, which was completed in June this year, had an estimated cost of Tk 2.92 billion. The government invested Tk 234.6 million while the World Bank contributed Tk 2.21 billion (Tk 221.47 crore). The project were implemented in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Barishal, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Khulna.

According to the report submitted to the parliamentary standing committee on 29 July, the trainings under the project cost Tk 152.369 million. As many as 296 people travelled to various countries for training and seminar purposes.

Environment department’s deputy director Shah Rezwan Hayat alone toured abroad 10 times for training and seminar purposes.

Rezwan is now working as a joint secretary at the refugee cell of relief and disaster ministry.

Asked about the matter, Rezwan Hayat said, “The knowledge and experience I have acquired during the foreign tours I’m trying to apply that in refugee management. I’ve initiated to observe air pollution in Rohingya camps areas in Cox’s Bazar.”

As many as 34 individuals and organisations worked as consultants for the project. In this regard, a total of Tk 334.596 million was spent.

Zian Research and Design Institute-Wall and Roof Materials did not finish their job of two studies.

As much as Tk 21.2 million was spent for purchasing vehicles under the project and Tk 729.6 million for the construction of a building and Tk 58.4 million for maintenance purposes.

Parliamentary standing committee chairman Saber Hossain Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that the main aim of this project was to ensure ‘clean air and sustainable development’.

He said the committee observes that buildings were constructed spending the project’s money and hundreds of people were sent abroad for trainings.

He also said those who were sent abroad for trainings had already been retired.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury also said a large number of consultants were appointed and one of the consultants did not complete 10-20 per cent works.

On the other, he further said, the cost of maintenance is so high.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam and Toriqul Islam.