During the regime of the fallen Awami League government, Besuma's corruption in implementing projects in the name of development and democracy was an open secret. But the issue of corruption was hidden in one project proposal after another. Prices of various products were fixed arbitrarily. In some cases wrong proposals are also given. But despite years of such incidents, there is no precedent for exemplary punishment against those responsible. As a result, the same phenomenon was repeated throughout their reign.

Expert opinion-proposal of additional expenditure on the project is definitely a crime. It is a subtle trick of corruption. Exemplary punishment was necessary against those involved in such incidents. They think that in this way corruption would have been laid in the making of the project, which would have been divided in the implementation stage. In other words, the strategy of keeping such an opportunity was taken by various parties. Because a project proposal has to go through several steps before it comes to the Planning Commission. But for mysterious reasons, these tricks were not caught at any stage. The Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh and the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Reform Commission talked about this. With Iftekharuzzaman. On Sunday, he told Jugantar that the price of products in the project proposal is definitely a form of corruption. Because corruption starts from there. These were done purposefully in the project making. It was done by abuse of power. Even though the political positions have changed now, that culture still remains among the people. This situation will take time to overcome. These corruptions are in the past - he is reluctant to say so quickly. Although there are many cases of such corruption, no action is taken against those who are involved in such activities. Because those who are supposed to take action were the partners of these corruptions. Those who would protect these matters were the ones who allowed such corruption to flourish.

According to sources, the situation has reached such a level that in a project proposal, the price of each pillow is estimated at 27 thousand rupees, the price of pillow cover is 28 thousand rupees. Again, the monthly salary of a cleaner was Rs. 4 lakh. In another project, the cost of a saline stand is Rs 60,000. Thus, various project proposals are estimated to be overpriced for various products almost every year. These proposals are identified sometime in the planning commission meeting. Many times it gets through the cracks. The cost of installing signboards in the river dredging project is Rs. 2 lakh each. Proposals were also made for foreign travel of 10 officials on coffee and almond cultivation, construction of bungalows for road widening project at a cost of Tk 2 crore and production of audio-video and film at Tk 4 crore for the production of national identity cards. As a result, widespread criticism began against the relevant ministries and departments. But the proposal of the project concerned is correct and wrong in the Planning Commission. Later, he withdrew from these proposals in the face of criticism and pressure from the Planning Commission. But no exemplary action is taken against those who have erred or left such opportunities at will. However, in some projects, an officer has been transferred and the duties have been completed. In some cases, the process of taking action did not go far.

Former lead economist of the World Bank Dhaka office and member of the white paper drafting committee. Zahid Hossain told Jugantar, it can be said without a doubt that corruption was condoned instead of taking action against those responsible. Because despite knowing the facts, instead of investigating them, those who were publishing the facts were held responsible. It was said that the government was being discredited. In short, he was shot if he didn't like the message he brought. The message was not authenticated. In response to a question, he said, the problem was so widespread and widespread that it had become a habit of the concerned. The officials who did not do these things could not survive. It was removed to another place. So as not to disturb. That is, irregularity was the rule. So now zero tolerance should be shown regarding these corruptions. A precedent of punishment must be set. Then the trend will gradually decrease.

According to the DPP (Development Project Proposal) submitted to the Planning Commission at various times, the Planning Commission found wide discrepancies in the pricing of various products in the 'Chittagong Medical University Establishment' project proposed in 2019. In this case, where the price of a pillow is 750 to 2 thousand taka, it is taken to be 27 thousand 720 taka. Where the price of the pillow cover ranges from Tk 500 to Tk 1500, it was proposed at Tk 28,000. The price of a surgical cap and mask, where the potential market value is supposed to be Tk 100-200, is estimated at Tk 84 thousand. The price of 300-500 rupees rexin was proposed at 84 thousand rupees. Where the price of sterile hand gloves is supposed to be 20-50 taka, the offer comes to 35 thousand taka. The price of cotton towels worth Tk 250-1000 was estimated at Tk 5 thousand 880. Besides, the estimated market price of 5 ml test tube-glass made is 15 to 50 taka, but it is proposed to 56 thousand taka. Additional expenditure was proposed in many such sectors. Fearing widespread looting, the Planning Commission sent the project back to the Ministry of Health with examples of 12 such products. No action was taken against those who made such proposals.

Earlier, Bangladesh Railways had offered incredible salaries to the support staff under the project 'Preparatory Technical Assistance for Development of Bangladesh Railway's Communication System'. Salary of cleaner is Tk 4 lakh 20 thousand per month. The salary of office assistant is 83 thousand 950 taka per month and the salary of cad operator is 1 lakh 25 thousand taka. Not only that, the monthly salary of a foreign consultant is Tk 25 lakh, which is an average of Tk 16 lakh. The Planning Commission sent back the project proposal saying that these costs were excessive. Later in the amendment proposal the excessive expenditure was brought down to the normal level. But no action was taken against anyone. The situation is the same in the project of setting up 50-bed kidney dialysis center in Medical College Hospital and 10-bed kidney dialysis center in District Sadar Hospital. The price of the stand for hanging saline is estimated at 60,000 taka. And the price of looking glass is 20 thousand taka. Such exaggerated expenditure proposals came to the Planning Commission.

In the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting, extreme displeasure was expressed over these unusual expenditure proposals. But no action was taken against those responsible. Apart from this, the Directorate of Health has been accused of widespread irregularities and corruption in the project proposal. In the Kushtia Medical College establishment project, the cost of each pulse oximeter (body oxygen level measuring device) was estimated at Tk 2 lakh 50 thousand. The market price of which is between 1500 and 3000 taka. Besides, the price of each face mask is estimated at 15 thousand 600 taka, the market price of which is between 5 to 500 taka. In addition, abnormal prices have been found in various other cases. Later, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the punishment after investigating various issues including the slowness of the project. But the health department did not take any punitive action.

When asked about this, former Secretary of Health Education and Family Welfare Department Ali Noor told Jugantar on Saturday, "I don't remember any action being taken against any official in such an incident during my tenure." Besides, such an incident did not happen in my time. However, the matter of action is taken by the Directorate. Only they can tell.

Also, the Election Commission proposed allocation of Tk 4 crore for audio-video and film production in a project related to preparation of voter list. Despite the availability of qualified manpower, it is proposed to hire manpower at a monthly salary of 4 lakhs. Along with that, there was also a proposal to hire a consultant for a monthly fee of up to 5 lakh taka. The Planning Commission found this image in the project titled 'Sustainable infrastructure development for preparing voter list and providing national identification services'. But in the end no action was reported. It was a normal occurrence to offer training abroad in the name of training in coffee and groundnut cultivation, a trip abroad to learn khichuri cooking, a trip abroad to learn grass cultivation, a trip abroad to learn pond digging. In these cases, the Planning Commission raised objections and reduced the expenditure. Or canceled. But nothing happened to those who offered.

Former Planning Secretary Mamun-al-Rashid told Jugantar that such exorbitant prices of products are definitely corruption. But I have seen that there is a tendency among everyone to avoid responsibility. For example, those who prepare DPPs (Development Project Proposals) are usually lower level officials. The head of that organization thinks it is worth seeing. If there is any problem, those officials will be responsible. Again, the officials involved in the project, including the secretary of the ministry, think that the organization has created the project. So the responsibility is theirs. Thus, when the plan comes to the commission, the commission makes recommendations with certain constraints. In this way, the heads of all organizations want to avoid liability. But in fact, as the head of the organization is responsible, the secretary of the concerned ministry is also responsible as the head of the ministry. Again, if the Planning Commission does not agree, they are also responsible. But the reality is that all parties are directly or indirectly responsible for encouraging corruption.

Former Planning Minister MA Mannan earlier told Jugantar that such extra expenditure or wrong expenditure proposals are never desirable. Those involved in such spending proposals must be brought to book. Because if this is not done, the same mistakes will be made again and again. I personally wanted the concerned ministries to take action in this regard. I tried from my place.