Evidence of irregularities found at ICT ministry

The government has found evidence of irregularities involving millions of taka at the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology, said Education Adviser to the Prime Minister Prof Alauddin Ahmed yesterday.
However, the government is committed to ending such practices and it will ensure that researchers get adequate financial and logistical support to carry out more research works, he said.
The adviser said this while speaking as the chief guest at the UGC Award 2006-07 giving ceremony at the UGC auditorium in the city.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) formally handed over the award to 19 teachers of different public and private universities in recognition of their fundamental research works.
Each winner received Tk 20,000, a certificate and a crest.
UGC Chairman Prof Nazrul Islam said the UGC is planning to establish a university that would devote a large portion of its resources and focus to research works.
“It would be the perfect place for researchers where they would be able to work in unison and invest a larger portion of their time in researches,” he said at the programme.
However, this is an extremely complicated concept and would require a long-term planning before implementation, he added.
The UGC introduced the award in 1980 to encourage university teachers to do fundamental research works, said UGC Member Prof Atful Hye Shibly in his welcome speech.
However, when asked to express their feelings after receiving the awards the awardees lamented severe lack of funding and logistical support available to local researchers.
They said most of the funds allotted for research activities usually go to NGOs and bureaucrats and demanded a stop to the practice.
Former vice chancellor of Chittagong University and UGC Professor Alamgir Muhammad Serajuddin and Director of UGC's Research and Publication Division Dr Md Lutfe Alam also spoke.