TIB finds mishandling of climate projects
Climate change funds are allocated under the influence of ministers and powerful quarters, not considering the severity of risk and endangerment of an area, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, said yesterday.
Due to lack of good governance, projects are approved for areas that are less endangered than others, Iftekharuzzaman said, releasing a TIB study report at a press conference at its office in the capital yesterday.
The study titled “Climate Financing and Local Government Institutions: Good Governance in Project Implementation” was conducted on six of the 108 projects that involve Tk 353 crore.
Financed by Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF), the projects are being implemented by local government institutions such as city corporation, district council and municipality.
Political influence plays a significant role in allocation of budgets from the BCCTF for initiating climate change resilience projects by local government institutions, according to the study.
And irregularities and corruption are major challenges in implementing the projects.
In most cases, political consideration, nepotism or illegal underhand dealings are key factors in awarding contracts for implementing the projects, it says.
The six projects involve dredging of water bodies, and construction of a waste management plant, disaster resilient houses and drains. The TIB, however, didn't disclose the names of the projects.
The data was collected between March and November last year, TIB Senior Programme Manager Abu Said Md Juel Miah said while presenting the findings.
The TIB took into account some indicators, including rationality, public participation, transparency, accountability, fair distribution and efficiency for conducting the study.
The study aims to find out the challenges in ensuring good governance in implementation of the projects and the consequences of lack of good governance.
All six projects were initiated without proper feasibility study and public participation. In one of the projects, the authorities illegally charged people Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000 each for constructing disaster resilient houses, it says.
E-tender process was not followed in any of the projects. Moreover, in a bid to evade tax, the contractor in one of the projects was changed without following due process.
The authorities concerned didn't make public information on four of the six projects. Besides, construction of one of the projects remained halted as the authorities didn't pay compensation to the land owners.
Lack of monitoring and evaluation by the higher authorities concerned is one of the major challenges in ensuring good governance in the implementation of the projects, the study says.
TIB Trustee Board Chairperson Sultana Kamal said, “We don't want to see any corruption and irregularities in implementing the projects, which are run with public money.”
She demanded that public participation is ensured at every stage of implementing the projects.
Several TIB officials were also present at the press conference.
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