Housing for secretaries: Luxury in the time of austerity

The recent decision to build "luxurious residences" at the cost of Tk 42.85 crore for the cabinet and principal secretaries by the housing and public works ministry has drawn flak from different quarters.

The widespread criticism comes at a time when people are repeatedly being advised to practise austerity to overcome the current economic crises.

Experts say when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself has been repeatedly calling for cost cutting and restraint in public expenditure, such an atrociously expensive project funded by taxpayers' money is highly questionable.

Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said, "I worked as [both] cabinet and principal secretaries, but I never felt the need for swimming pools or these many televisions [which are in the project proposal]. I never felt like I was in a sorry statewithout these."

In the Development Project Proposal (DPP), the Public Works Department, which is the implementing agency, claimed the project will create "temporary employment opportunities" during the implementation phase, which will "help eradicate poverty to some extent".

Meanwhile, people from different quarters took to social media over the last couple of days to blast the initiative.

Project documents indicatethe estimated cost of the two three-storey buildings is Tk 18.88 crore. Another Tk 22.5 crore will be spent on the interior and exterior designs and a service building.

The Planning Commission, meanwhile, has decided to send the project proposal back to the housing and public works ministry, as it did not follow proper procedure, officials said.

The ministry had directly sent the DPP to the physical planning, water supply and housing wing of the commission for approval, whereas it was supposed to be sent to the programming division, said an official, preferring anonymity.

"It [the DPP] will now be sent back to the ministry."

According to the proper procedure, the proposal is first supposed to be sent to the programming division, which will then list it as an "unapproved project".

It will then be sent to physical planning, water supply and housing wing, who will present it before the Project Evaluation Committee.

"If the project then gets a nod and the cost is shown to be below Tk 50 crore, it is then presented to the planning minister for approval," the official said.

Ali Imam Majumder suggested renovating existing residences and earmarking thoseas the homes of the cabinet and principal secretaries.

"In terms of improvement, the sky is the limit. But this is not the right time. If their existing residences do not have enough facilities, these can be renovated at a reasonable cost," he said, adding that the project should be halted right away.

According to the DPP, each of the three-storey building will be built on 18,000 square feetand will cost Tk 21.5 crore.

There will be two swimming pools in each, which would cost another estimated Tk 5.1 crore.

In the project description, the ministry said there were no permanent residences for the cabinet and principal secretaries.

The cabinet secretary currently lives in the official residence in the capital's Minto Road, while the principal secretary's official residence is in Gulshan.

A total of 14 LED televisions will be purchased at Tk 900,000 for the proposed homes.

As many as 32 CCTV systems will be bought for those at the cost of Tk 600,000, while Tk 1.75 crore will be spent for the fire extinguishing systems.

The cost of the 1,000 kg lifts (European Standard) is estimated at Tk 1.55 crore.

Moreover, Tk 18 lakh will be spent to conserve rainwater.

For official purposes, meeting with diplomats and overall security, there will be separate buildings.

Shafiqul Islam, additional chief engineer of the public works department, said, "They are the top government officials. If they don't deserve such facilities, thenwho does?

"It [the project] will not be implemented right now. By the timeit will be, the economic situation will become normal."

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, said if the government is respectful to its commitment to transparent and accountable governance, it will be impossible to justifythe project to the public.

"The approval of the project will send a message to the people that the government itself is ridiculing the pledges of austerity, and it has no qualms in spending public money to fund the disproportionately luxurious lifestyle of public officials, whose salaries and benefits are borne by the already overburdened common people."

Asked about the logic behind the project at a time like this, an additional secretary of the housing ministry said, "We don't do anything on our own. We only execute plans that come from the top level."