Pleasure trips on public money
A news report published in The Daily Star about the visit of an eight-member team of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University (JKKNIU) to Europe to "inspect lifts" has brought to light the hidden talents of the university's academics—that of being technical experts too. According to the report, of the eight delegates, only three are technical persons while the remaining five are non-technical, including the deans of two faculties, an associate professor, the treasurer and the registrar of the university. At this point, one might be pardoned for questioning the logic behind the selection of so many non-technical persons for an inspection visit. The reason provided by the treasurer—"they have been involved in the development works of the university for long"—is, of course, ludicrous.
A visit of similar nature also made the headlines on September 9, when Prothom Alo reported that 41 officials of Chittagong WASA, different ministries and departments had visited Uganda—a country where people suffer from acute crisis of safe water—to receive training on safe drinking water! The visits were related to a World Bank-funded project by the Chittagong WASA called "Chittagong Water Supply Improvement and Sanitation Project (CWISP)", with Uganda's National Water and Sewerage Corporation working as a consultant. According to two WASA board members, the visits, conducted in multiple phases by the consultant firm, were actually pleasure trips and the officials were reportedly selected to take undue advantages including approval of the project.
Saying the travel expense has been borne by the contractor or consultant firm does not justify the situation since taking such benefits from them may influence one's judgement. Moreover, such expenses are invariably included in the cost of the project. The government must look into these reports of irregularities seriously and take immediate measures to address them. Public money cannot be wasted on "pleasure trips" of government officials.
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