Tk 59 cr anomalies reported in projects during AL rule

The irregularities were unearthed in the audit reports of foreign aided projects of the Ministries of Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives, Communications, Primary And Mass Education, Post and Telecommuni-cations, Planning and Education during the fiscal 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

State Minister for Finance and Planning Shah Abul Hossain tabled the audit reports of the Auditor and Comptroller General of Bangladesh in parliament yesterday.

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The reports pointed out that an expenditure of Tk 49.107 crore incurred during 2000-2001 in the Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP) of the LGRD Ministry with the IDA loan was not recorded.

The amount was given to contractors for public works but no document, paper, tender notice, estimate, work order, tender committee meeting minutes, contractors ledger, advance register, bill register, bill voucher or report could be shown by project director Saiful Islam during the audit despite repeated reminders, said the audit reports.

Besides, an unutilised amount of Tk 2.96 crore from the government portion under the DUTP in fiscal 2000-01 and unutilised Tk 1.98 crore against machinery procurement under Dhaka City Corporation Road Maintenance and Improvement Project in fiscal 1999-2000 from the government portion were not deposited in the treasury, said the reports.

There were also irregularities in the Urban Primary Healthcare Project of the LGRD Ministry during the fiscal 1999-2000 and the Rural Development Project-9 implemented during 1998-99 with EU and Dutch supports, the reports added.

There were also irregularities in the North-West Road Development Network Project of the Communica-tions, Primary Education Develop-ment Project Phase-2 of Education Ministry and Secondary Education Development Project of the same ministry implemented in 2000-01, and Greater Dhaka Telecommu-nication Improvement Project Phase-2 of Telecommunications Ministry and BUET-Dutch Cooperation in the field of Water Resources Engineering Phase-2 of Education Ministry implemented during 1999-2000, according to the audit reports tabled yesterday in the House.