Dr. Debapriya stated that the development progress is being hindered by the administration
He stated that political influence has resulted in widespread corruption in project implementation.
Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the committee drafting the “White Paper on the State of Bangladesh Economy,” asserted that the development situation under the previous government was completely constrained by the administration due to political influence in project approvals.
He noted that nearly all projects were sanctioned based on political motives, and any opposition to the prevailing development narrative faced punitive consequences.
Dr. Debapriya made these comments while speaking to reporters on Sunday following a meeting with 85 government officials, including 32 secretaries and senior secretaries, at the NEC conference room of the Planning Commission in Dhaka.
“During our discussion on the development narrative today, it became evident that the situation was entirely dictated by the administration,” said Dr. Debapriya, who is also a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue.
Participants expressed feeling victimized by this environment, with some reporting experiences of harassment, he noted.
Emphasizing the lack of accountability, Dr. Debapriya highlighted that political influence has led to widespread corruption in project implementation. He identified flaws in feasibility studies and pointed to the involvement of corrupt officials and business interests within the development administration.
He claimed that many civil servants engaged in these unethical practices driven by political aspirations.
He elaborated on how, prior to the initiation of development projects, land was acquired at low prices and sold to the projects at inflated rates, resulting in substantial financial losses for the government. He also mentioned that projects were often launched in locations where they provided no real benefits, motivated solely by profits from land sales.
What's Your Reaction?
