Three news articles have been published in last two days over the anomalies in the development projects of two city corporations: Dhaka North (DNCC) and Dhaka South (DSCC).
Of the controversial projects, questions regarding the feasibility have been raised against the first one while the local government ministry itself has objected to the cost of another project proposal. Very important and expensive equipment of the third project is lying idle.
On 25 July, Prothom Alo ran a news story on its front page titled “For whom the bridge is being built by spending Tk 55 million”. There is no human settlement and the connecting roads of the bridge being built at the last end of Manda area of Khilgaon in Dhaka.
There is an allegation that the construction of the bridge started during the tenure of former mayor Sayeed Khokon to offer special privilege to the owners of private housing projects.
Not only a bridge at Manda area but also the works of constructing six more bridges were underway. Incumbent DSCC mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has already stopped building the bridge.
Besides, the newspaper published another report on Saturday last over the project of canal digging of DSCC. As per the report, the city corporation took a project of Tk 9.38 billion to improve the condition of four canals in the capital.
The proposed project includes Tk 20 million for purchasing car, Tk 10 million for fuel, Tk 10 million for management, Tk 20 million for equipment rent, Tk 10 million for gas and fuel purpose, six million for organising seminars, Tk 5 million each for paying honorarium, purchasing office equipment, security services, furniture, computer equipment, and Tk 2 million each for refreshment and communication over mobile phone.
While the allocation does not seem unusual to DSCC officials, the ministry sent them back considering inflated cost in the proposal. DSCC officials are not at all worried about the inflated cost of the canal digging project or the unnecessary bridge project. Because, the money won’t come from their pockets, rather it will come from the people.
The third report is carried by The Daily Star. As per the report, the authorities of DNCC bought three turntable ladders in one and half years ago from Germany for Tk 90 million each for extinguishing fire.
In an on spot inspection after a few months, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) found that two of the three ladders have been lying idle at the Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters.
While IMED officials said two ladders need to be repaired, The Daily Star found in their investigation that all three are out of order.
To increase the facilities of the city dwellers, two city corporations have been formed splitting one. But the irony is that opportunities for the officials concerned have been increased in lieu of the city dwellers that can be understood by looking at the cost of various projects.
They are enthusiastic to increase budget for the development projects and buy equipment rather than bringing the corrupt persons to book.
Although the former DSCC mayor can be held responsible for the bridge project, the liability for the inflated cost of the canal project will have to be borne by the incumbent one.
It is necessary to ensure that such arbitrariness will not be happened once again in these two autonomous institutions in the name of development and the proper investigation of the three projects.