DHAKA: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday brought fraudulence charges against Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) over the organization’s aid in Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal Fired Power Plant in Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar.

TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman brought the charges after presenting the ‘Rampal and Matarbari Power Projects: Governance Challenges in Land Acquisition and Environmental Impact Assessment’ at its head office in city’s Dhanmondi area at noon.

He said JICA’s grant-in-aid at Matarbari power project was a kind of fraudulence as they were providing the aid from climate change fund.

The TIB boss further said climate change fund should have been provided as compensation but they are providing it as a loan.

In reply to a question about documents regarding the matter, Iftekharuzzaman said, “We came to know the matter from reliable sources”.

TIB, in the press conference, came up with 12-point recommendations on various irregularities and corruption in land requisition and environmental impact assessment in Rampal and Matarbari power projects.

TIB Research and Policy wing deputy program manager Mohammad Hossain presented the research paper in the press conference.

The report said about 3-5 percent money of the total amount compensation was paid in advance as bribe in processing each and every file.

It also said in some cases the victims did not get compensation.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman also said coal-based power projects across the world were closed whereas one has been initiated here. It will have negative impacts on environment and climate.

He also advised the government to shift focus on solar and wind-based power projects.

With TIB trustee board chairperson Advocate Sultana Kamal in the chair, its deputy executive director Professor Dr Sumaiya Khair and director of research and policy wing Mohammad Rafiqul Hasan, among others, were present at the press meet.

BDST: 1853 HRS, APR 16, 2015
SR/RR