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Will gift work ?

Tk 3.5cr SUV bought illegally with LGED project fund for minister; retiring chief engineer 'lobbies' for job extension

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee
What gift worth how much can buy one a favour, if any? It depends. For Wahidur Rahman, whether a Tk 3.5 crore project SUV he has presented to LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam can keep him in office will be clear in a few days.
Wahidur holds the office of the chief engineer at the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), an office known for its wild corruption. Insiders say he did not want to leave such a lucrative office. So, upon completion of his service tenure on December 11, 2010, he played his first card: freedom fighter's certificate. By submitting the certificate, he secured three years' extension in two phases. There is nothing wrong in that, only it later emerged that his name was not on the freedom fighters' list (Red Book). Subsequently, the Anti-Corruption Commission found the engineer resorted to cheating to obtain the certificate, sources said. Yet the man did not face the music for breaking the service rules.
Last month, the government sent three top government officials into forced retirement for obtaining war heroes' certificates fraudulently.
Presently, Wahidur is serving his one-year contract at the same office. His contract ends tomorrow, but he remains highly optimistic about another extension, LGED sources said, wishing anonymity.
One of his latest ventures has been buying a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) for about Tk 3.5 crore with funds from the Primary Education Development Programme-3 (PEDP-3). Under the rules, purchasing cars under the project is illegal.
The 4WD Cross Country Vehicle (Dhaka Metro Gha 13-9100) was registered with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority on 21 September.
Sources in the LGED said the vehicle was then given to the LGRD minister for his use.
This correspondent saw the min-
ister going to the secretariat on November 24 and also on Monday by that car.
Wahidur oversaw the purchase of this car even as the ACC holds him responsible for illegally buying three luxury vehicles at Tk 11.6 crore in March 2012 using PEDP funds.
Almost a year ago, the investigating officer submitted the probe report over the purchase of these three cars, seeking the commission's permission for filing a case. But the officer is yet to get the ACC nod, officials said.
Asked about the delay, ACC Chairman Mohammad Badiuzzaman said he would look into the matter. He declined to comment why it is taking so long.
This newspaper called Wahidur several times yesterday, but he did not pick up the phone. He also did not respond to the text message, requesting his comment on the matter.
Under various LGED projects, there are about 450 cars. Of them, at least 60 are being illegally used by
ministers, prime minister's advisers and top government officials, according to the sources.
The PEDP is tasked with improving school infrastructures by constructing or upgrading classrooms and labs, teachers and students' hostels, water and sanitation facilities and playground to facilitate admission of more students. At the moment, the highest number of vehicles being illegally used was bought under this project.
Project cars are purchased with government and foreign funds for specific projects implemented by the LGED, which is under the LGRD ministry. These cars are meant solely for project officials.
The proposal for buying the latest car in question was submitted to the LGRD ministry in May this year. The proposal said the car was needed for the project's implementation.
The document prepared by the ministry over this proposal shows that both the LGED and the LGRD ministry concede that car purchase under the project was against the
rules.
According to the document, obtained by The Daily Star, the price of the car was fixed at Tk 99,65,000, excluding the registration cost, CD VAT, IT and source tax.
Including all these cost, the car price stood at about Tk 3.5 crore, LGED sources said.
Ministry sources said some top LGRD officials verbally requested the Senior Secretary to the ministry Manjur Hossain not to approve the proposal, as the ACC was already investigating the 2012 purchase of three vehicles.
Contacted, Manjur yesterday said he had nothing to do when the minister himself approved the purchase.
This correspondent called the minister on Monday, but he did not pick up the phone. A text message seeking his comment on Monday night on the matter went unanswered.
In addition to this recently bought car, Ashraf is using two more project cars — Dhaka Metro Gha 13-6110 and Dhaka Metro Gha 11-3779,
the sources said.
Allegations of misuse of taxpayers' money by the LGED officials are rife.
In July last year, a study by the Transparency International, Bangladesh found contractors have to pay up to 30 percent in commission to lawmakers, politicians and government officials to secure an LGED project.
It also said political influence, interference by ministries and lack of proper monitoring, evaluation, audit and transparency are the main reasons behind irregularities and corruption in the LGED.
According to the study, since the establishment of the LGED in 1992, as many as 1,772 audit objections involving Tk 1,369 crore remained unresolved till fiscal 2011-2012.
On institutional corruption, it says the chief engineer abuses power to control promotion, postings and transfer. Besides, LGED officials use official cars for private purposes, and even take money by showing fake bills for car repairs.