NGOs had to spend 20pc of climate funds on bribe: TIB

The non-government organisations appointed for different climate adaptation projects had to give as much as 20 percent of their project money as bribe to government officials to have their funds released from Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF), reveals a study.
Apart from this, political influence was used in appointing the NGOs, which shows presence of corruption and lack of good governance, according to the report of Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB), launched in the capital's Cirdap auditorium yesterday.
Since 2011, TIB surveyed 43 out of the 57 appointed NGOs and prepared the report, "Climate financing in Bangladesh: Challenge of good governance and way forward."
During the study, the anti-corruption body did not find any trace of 10 appointed NGOs. In addition, nine NGOs received funds under political considerations, two allegedly misused their funds, and four did not have office in the project areas. The survey also found that four NGOs, which were to build 160 cyclone-resilient houses by June, did not start work until April.
Different government agencies and NGOs have been implementing a total of 139 projects of different terms under the government-held Tk 2,350 crore climate trust fund.
The report also said the government was to get a $5 billion climate fund in five years from developed countries, but it got assurance of only $594 million, apparently due to risks of corruption.
Presenting the findings, Mohua Rauf, assistant coordinator of Climate Finance Governance Project under which the study was conducted, said there was lack of good governance in selecting genuine beneficiaries under the cyclone victims' rehabilitation programme under Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) managed by the World Bank.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman, TIB Chairperson Advocate Sultana Kamal, coordinator of the TIB study Zakir Hossain Khan, and TIB Deputy Executive Director Sumaiya Khair were present on the occasion.