Consensus Commission rejects claims of Tk 83 crore spent on hospitality

The National Consensus Commission (NCC) has dismissed allegations that it spent Tk 83 crore on hospitality, clarifying that its total expenditure stood at Tk 1.71 crore — of which Tk 45 lakh was used for hospitality.

“A recent campaign by a certain quarter has falsely claimed that the NCC spent Tk 83 crore on hospitality. Such statements are completely baseless and fabricated,” the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said in a statement issued last night.

It added that the misinformation campaign appeared to be deliberate, as those spreading it neither sought an official response from the Commission nor verified the information with relevant authorities.

To clear public confusion, the NCC explained that since its formation on February 15, 2025, the total budget for fiscal years 2024–25 and 2025–26 was Tk 7.23 crore, with Tk 63 lakh allocated for hospitality.

As of October 31, 2025, the Commission had spent Tk 1.71 crore—just 23.46 percent of its total allocation—including Tk 45.77 lakh on hospitality.

The statement noted that most hospitality expenses were related to meetings with political parties and other official engagements.

During its three-phase discussions with political parties, the NCC hosted participants, journalists, officials, and security personnel. In the first phase (March 20–May 19, 2025), 44 meetings were held, costing Tk 4.91 lakh. The second phase involved 23 meetings with 30 political parties at the Foreign Service Academy, where Tk 28.83 lakh was spent on meals served throughout full-day sessions—averaging less than Tk 1.2 lakh per day. In the third phase, seven meetings cost Tk 7.08 lakh.

Additionally, 50 internal meetings of the Commission cost Tk 1.05 lakh in hospitality. Another Tk 2 lakh was spent across 13 programmes, including sessions with political parties, civil society, professionals, and three press conferences, while 14 expert meetings incurred Tk 30,960. The experts, notably, received no allowance or honorarium.

Over nine months, Tk 2 lakh was also spent hosting guests such as diplomats, representatives of international and domestic organisations, political leaders, editors, and journalists.

“The above details make it clear that the claim of Tk 83 crore expenditure is not only false but also a deliberate attempt to discredit the National Consensus Commission and its work,” the statement concluded.

It further stressed that the Commission operated with full transparency, citing daily media coverage and open access for journalists. The NCC Vice-Chairman and members regularly briefed the press, and for the first time in Bangladesh’s history, inter-party dialogues were broadcast live on television.

The Commission urged those responsible for spreading “malicious propaganda” to retract their claims and apologise, while expressing appreciation for the responsible role of the media in preventing misinformation and ensuring the public remains accurately informed.