Extortion seems to be legalized as the government is set to formulate a regulation for collecting funds from businesses and individuals to organise events of national and international importance. Despite the provision to collect several types of income tax, VAT and revenue. The government’s intention to move forward with the illegal and irregular means is questionable. While a number of readymade garments have been shut down, the FDI inflow has narrowed, local investors face hurdles of electricity, gas, roads and ports, new investment is almost stopped, GSP facilities are nullified, the illegal moves by the government has drawn criticism from different quarters of people.
A national English daily, quoting a senior bureaucrat, reported that the donations would be collected and deposited under a trust fund to be registered with appropriate authorities to avert any controversy and speculations. But critics denounced the move, saying the practice would damage the image of the state and belittle the authorities of the government.
The decision was taken at a meeting last week in the Finance Ministry with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair. The move to collect donations in a ‘legal basis’ came after collecting funds through donations to organise ‘Lakho Kontha Bangladesh’ event in March that triggered criticism and many quarters raised eyebrows over the lavish spending of the fund without any tendering process.
Expenses to organise any big events from the block allocation of the National Budget must meet the conditions of the public procurement regulation and thus will be subject to auditing by competent public organizations. The spending of such funds should not be guided by a flexible method outside the purview of public procurement regulation. The possible embezzlement and misappropriation of the proposed fund cannot be ruled out as fund spending and donation collection would get some sort of flexibilities in the regulations.
Finance Ministry officials said the Ministry is pursuing the issue to implement the desire of the Finance Minister, but not as a genuine cause. The draft will specify areas of events to become eligible for receiving funds and the lowest amount of fund to be sanctioned from the proposed donation fund. The draft regulations would be sent soon to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for approval.
The people are subjected to extortion of all kinds, from private and government run organisations. For some people, in and around the government, money is no consideration. But we have sympathy for the general public for the financial constraints they face when economic activities in the country are grinding to a halt.
