The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) spent more than its development allocation in the first 10 months of the last fiscal year (FY) ending on June 30 last, outperforming all the ministries.
In the budget for FY 2021-22, the government had allocated Tk 19.43 billion for the MoRA from the Annual Development Programme (ADP), but its spending stood at Tk. 20.11 billion at the end of April last, which is 3.48 per cent more than that of the allocation, according to the Finance Division.
This is an exceptional implementation rate as the ministries usually fail to achieve such a milestone in only 10 months.
The legislative and parliamentary affairs division stood second in terms of spending as it utilised over 91 per cent of the allocation in the last FY.
The other major divisions that have spent substantial amounts from their respective development allocations during the period under review are: Ministry of ICT 66.4 per cent, Ministry of Water Resources 66.4 per cent, Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts 62.9 per cent, and Election Commission 55 per cent.
When contacted, a senior official at the budget wing of the MoRA told the FE that the expenditure was made on implementation of a big project titled 'Model Mosque' under which 564 mosques will be built across the country.
Some additional funds were allocated for the project in the revised budget for FY 2021-22, said Nawab Ali Mondol, a joint secretary at the MoRA.
He said the project work is continuing for the last five years and the implementation pace has been strengthened in the recent time.
The government took the project in 2018 to build model mosques-cum-Islamic cultural centres across the country.
The project, being implemented by the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation, will now cost Tk 94.35 billion and will continue up to June 2024.
The COVID pandemic and land acquisition complexities have delayed the project implementation, said Project Director Md. Nojibur Rahman.
Mr. Rahman told the FE that 50 mosques have been built in the last fiscal year. "There were contractor payments after the construction of 50 mosques in different districts."
At the time of taking up the project, 90 per cent of the estimated Tk 90.62 billion of outlay was supposed to come as a grant from Saudi Arabia, but the country did not provide the committed funds. Now it is being implemented by the government's own fund.
Earlier on June 10, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated 50 model mosques, which have libraries and provide Quran learning sessions and training for Hajj aspirants and Imams.
The project director said that the spending will enhance further as he believes more than 200 mosques will be ready within FY '23.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com