Three cars together worth Tk 42 million and purchased for a government project are being used for personal comfort by top officials although it is mandatory to return the vehicles to the transport pool after the completion of a project.
The three Toyota Landcruiser Prado TX cars were purchased for the 'Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)' project of the Department of Public Health Engineering, or DPHE, under the Ministry of Local Government.
The government and UNICEF co-financed the project costing more than Tk 4.5 billion. It started in January 2015 and ended in December 2021, reports bdnews24.com.
The three cars with registration numbers Dhaka Metro Gha-18-5845, Dhaka Metro Gha-18-5846 and Dhaka Metro Gha-18-5847 were purchased and registered in 2020 as the project was nearing its end. Manufactured in 2019, the cars are of 3000 cc, each priced at Tk 14 million.
As the allegations of abuse of power to use the cars have surfaced now, Local Government Minister Tajul Islam says he will take action after getting information on the matter.
According to a bdnews24.com investigation, Helal Uddin Ahmed, former secretary to the ministry, used the car 'Dhaka Metro Gha-18-5846' for family purposes. The car was with him until early August, even after he had gone on pre-retirement leave in May.
DPHE driver Abul Hashem who drove the car for Helal told bdnews24.com over the phone on Aug 1 that the secretary’s family used the car. “We only follow the officers’ orders.”
The car was taken back from Helal the next day and Hashem was relieved of his duty. It means the car was with Helal for at least two months after his leave began.
Speaking to bdnews24.com on Wednesday, Helal said, “I got a car from the pool. Besides that, a car is given for the family. The incumbent secretary is also using the cars. Every secretary takes cars for additional support, for family or tours outside [Dhaka].”
“Another car is used for backup. They use it when needed. It is not used full time.”
Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said there would be no problem if the secretary used the car for the project’s work. “But it should not be used otherwise.”
Current Local Government Secretary Mohammad Mezbahuddin Chowdhury’s family members are using the car now, although he has one of the same model provided by the government.
The car’s current driver Bablu, who identified himself with a single name, said he was heading to the secretary’s home because his family needed the car.
Mezbahuddin skirted a direct answer when asked why he was using a project car despite having one from the government. He asked the reporter to meet him at his office.
Md Zahid Hossain Chowdhury, the assistant personal secretary to the minister, is using another Prado from the project. Its driver Tipu said the car remains stand-by at the ministry and he drives it to wherever Zahid asks him.
Zahid did not receive phone calls or respond to text messages for comment.
The third car from the project is being used by DPHE Chief Engineer Md Saifur Rahman. Another car was allocated for him by the government, but he does not use that.
He said the car allocated by the government is used by officials who accompany the minister during trips outside Dhaka.
The erstwhile Ministry of Establishment, now the public administration ministry, issued a notice in 2006, asking directors of development projects to return cars used for the projects within 60 days from the completion of a project.
The public administration ministry in another notice in January this year reminded officials of the rule.
Md Abdus Sattar, transport commissioner at the Department of Government Transport, said it is mandatory to return cars after the completion of a project.
Officials said none of the three cars of the WASH project have been returned.
DPHE Chief Engineer Saifur argued that the cars were bought with UNICEF’s funds and the cars of the UN agency are not needed to be submitted back to the pool.
“Besides this, the project’s tenure is being extended. The cars will be used for the next phase of the project. This is why they are not being returned to the pool.”
But officials said they have no knowledge of any plans to extend the project. The officials of the project have been moved from the project office on the third floor of DPHE.
Ehteshamul Russell Khan, director of the WASH project, said he is working in the feasibility study and design wing now, after the project ended in December.
Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International, Bangladesh, sees the use of project cars by government officials as an example of a lack of transparency and accountability in the administration.
“Those who are using project cars for other purposes are abusing their power to do unethical things. I think they should be held to account.”
He also said the use of the DPHE project cars by the officials is nothing new, and neither is it an isolated incident.
“We often see top government officials using the projects as a means of getting perks. They are continuously doing it because there is no accountability.”
Minister Tajul said, “I am not aware of the matter. I will take action if I get complaints about it.”
