When Tk 44.55 lakh is spent for an inauguration

What can be more disappointing for a nation than the realisation that university campuses, which ought to uphold and impart the highest of principles, are now hotbeds of corruption? According to a recent report by Prothom Alo, Chittagong University spent a staggering Tk 44.55 lakh during the inauguration ceremony of one of its academic buildings. When asked how the money was spent, the reporter of the daily seems to have been sent on a wild goose chase, with the authorities failing to provide written accounts of their expenditure despite repeated requests for disclosure. When asked to explain why there were no detailed accounts of the expenses, the authorities provided a ludicrous justification—that several sub-committees had been formed to conduct the programme, and hence the organisers cannot say for sure how much was spent exactly.

Three members of the organising committee verbally estimated that about Tk 15 lakh was spent on food and entertainment, Tk 22.88 lakh on lighting, video documentary, cultural programmes and fireworks, while the remaining Tk 6.44 lakh was paid as VAT. To justify the spending of Tk 15 lakh on food, one of the members claimed that they had arranged lunch for about 8,000 people, but the auditorium, where Education Minister Dipu Moni inaugurated the building on November 4 had an audience capacity of 250 people. Senior teachers and officials of different departments stated that such lavish expenditure was unprecedented in the university's history, and estimated that it should cost around Tk 20,000 to arrange such a programme.

At a time when the country is reeling from a financial crisis, and when much-needed investments in students' education, facilities, and research have been put on hold, it is mind-boggling that the authorities of a public university can so shamelessly plunder public funds. It is obvious that the authorities did not think anyone would hold them accountable for this transgression. And why wouldn't they hold this assumption, when corrupt administrators have been protected and rewarded by the government time and again?

We join the faculty members, administrators, and students in demanding a prompt and impartial investigation into the matter and exemplary action against the relevant administrators (including the VC, proctor, members of the organising committees and accounts officers, among others). If we treat this as business as usual, we risk sending the chilling message to future generations that corruption and criminality are to aspire for.