A REPORT in a national daily on Tuesday said Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has proposed at least three overseas training programmes in four developed countries in relation to constructing two fire stations under the auspices of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpanagar.
As per BEZA proposal, seven officials would participate in each of the three training programmes and the entire project cost will be Tk 94 crore for travel to Australia, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The Planning Commission Officials, however, said local fire service authority was capable of giving such training but the proposal is awaiting approval at the Planning Commission amid widespread criticism that it is a sheer waste of public money for just pleasure trips of some officials; it has hardly any justification.
It needs mention that BEZA is attached to the Prime Minister’s Office and many believe that some officials are unscrupulously promoting it to be part of the tour programme. Since the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib is involved in the Shilpanagar project, its approval may be quite easy.
Many wonder what this training is to cost Tk 94 crore; which is an average of Tk 4.47 crore against each of the 21 participants. It just shows that public money has become so easy to grab by government officials at important places that they can advance any project to fit to their pleasure. But we would like to say that officials must not forget that common people provide the money by way of taxes and other levies and there must be accountability against all such spending. It is unbelievable that officers must visit four countries at extravagant cost only to know about best building techniques of two fire stations in an industrial estate. It really sounds incredible.
The government is now in a position to deny the people of their rights and accountability to them. It is admitted. Even then when general public is suffering under mismanagement and unbounded corruption for too long a time we suggest some restraint.
