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Padma Bridge Project

’Donation’ frenzy at govt offices

Commotion brews as some ministries go hyper-active

M Abul Kalam Azad and Shariful Islam
Some over-zealous top officials have taken initiatives to collect donations at different ministries for the Padma bridge project even though the government has yet to issue any instructions to that end.
The science and technology ministry high-ups appear to be a step ahead of others. They have already drawn up a chart fixing the donation amounts for employees at various tiers.
Rafiqul Islam, secretary of the ministry,
at a meeting last month instructed the officials and employees to donate the sums fixed for them.
The Padma bridge project was dealt a body blow when the World Bank on June 29 cancelled its $1.2 billion fund for the bridge, citing a “corruption conspiracy”.
In the wake of the loan cancellation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared in parliament that the government would construct the bridge with its own resources. Following her statement in the House, people from all walks of life, including expa-triate Bangladeshis, expressed intent to contribute to the Padma bridge funds, prime minister's aides said.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh Bank directed all banks to open two accounts -- one for local and the other for foreign currency — for receiving donations for the bridge project.
The central bank circular came in line with a decision taken at a cabinet meeting on July 16.
At that meeting, ministers said they would each give a month's salary to the fund. Each of the 38 ministries would make separate contributions.
Also on July 16, some cabinet members told the prime minister that government officials and employees wanted to give a month's salary to the fund. In reply, Hasina said it would be a burden on the families of the public servants. If they still wanted to contribute, they could give a day' s salary every month for 30 months.
Meeting at the Cabinet Division on July 18, the secretaries decided they would donate a festival bonus, equivalent to a month's salary, for the Padma bridge project.
Meanwhile, overenthusiasm about fund-raising has got the better of some government officials, as confusion reigns among the ranks in the absence of guidelines about who would donate how much.
Secretariat sources said the collection might begin anytime this month.
Several ministries are still undecided about the donation amount. “We sat a couple of times last month, but could not decide whether the officials would pay a day's or five days' salary," said a joint secretary of the communications ministry.
The education ministry
has decided that all the officials of its boards, institutes, directorates and departments, and teachers and employees of MPO-listed schools and colleges will donate one day's salary.
An education ministry official said, “In the past we gave one day's salary voluntarily to help flood victims, but this time many officials are trying to impose it on us .... Everyone in the ministry will have to pay, although many are not in a position to donate money.”
Talking to The Daily Star, some mid-level and junior officials have expressed displeasure at the way they are being approached for donations.
A section of officials pursuing their own vested interests are acting too enthused, complained an official at the science and technology ministry. “We can't pay any money without clear-cut instructions.”
Officials at Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), a department of the ministry, said the authorities had asked them to donate salary of one to five days in keeping with their seniority.
In a circular, BCSIR directors have been asked to collect the funds. The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the circular, which bears the instructions but no official signature.
The instructions sheet includes a table showing the names of officials and employees; one day's basic salary of each; and the amounts of donation.
Class-II officials and class-Ill employees have been asked to donate a day's salary. However, donating is optional for class-IV employees, according to the instructions.
Talking to this newspaper, several BCSIR officials said they would not donate any money, as there is no official signature on the instructions sheet
The directors have allegedly threatened to send their
names to the ICT secretary if they failed to contribute to Padma fund.
Contacted, State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman ruled out making the donation mandatory. “Only those willing will contribute to this fund. There is no compulsion for this.”
Public Administration Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder said public servants may contribute voluntarily, but nothing has been finalised regarding the amount. “There is no question of fixing the amount. It's up to the officials and employees."
The heads of various ministries and departments have been asked to discuss the matter with other officials to reach a decision, he added. “They will place the decisions before the public administration ministry. They can't fix the amount at will.”
It has not been finalised yet, added Sobhan, whether the government employees will donate a day's or a week's salary.
Things are not that different elsewhere.
Bangladesh Open University (BOU) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have pledged to donate Tk 10 crore and Tk 65 lakh respectively for the project.
BOU Vice-Chancellor Aminur Rashid announced this at a press conference in the capital last month, which drew flak from the teachers, officials and employees of the university.
The VC asked all to arrange the money at any cost, but many opposed the plan, as there is no provision in the BOU act to gather such a huge amount as donation.
"We can't give the money since no gazette notification was issued in this regard,” said a professor of the university.
Later, a syndicate meeting held up the VC's decision and decided to seek approval from the UGC on the donation.