Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Chief Economist of the White Paper Committee, said that nearly all projects during the tenure of the previous government were approved through political influence.

He said: "Moreover, actions were taken against those who opposed such practices. The development agenda was tightly controlled by administrative authorities, curbing accountability."

Dr. Bhattacharya made these comments on Sunday (Oct 3) at a meeting at the NEC building of the Bangladesh Planning Commission.

“Several officials present at today’s meeting admitted they were affected by the system, with some facing direct harassment,” he added.

He highlighted a significant lack of accountability that facilitated widespread misappropriation in development projects. Feasibility studies were often flawed, with projects benefiting a mix of corrupt officials, politicians, and business interests.

Additionally, some civil servants reportedly endorsed these projects to gain political leverage.

Dr. Bhattacharya also discussed how the land acquisition process was exploited. In some cases, land was purchased cheaply before project approval and then sold back to the government at inflated prices once the project was initiated.

“Certain projects were launched not for genuine development but to capitalize on land sales, even when the areas were unsuitable,” he said.

Officials at the meeting voiced their concerns about professional constraints, noting that frequent transfers and political pressure eroded their ability to work effectively. This pressure contributed to major irregularities in project implementation.

BDST: 1628 HRS, NOV 03, 2024
MSK/SMS