The government's decision to allow deputy commissioners (DCs) to monitor and evaluate all ongoing development projects has sparked sharp reaction among engineers who sees it would create complexity in implementation of the work.
The Public Administration in a circular on January 18 gave the DCs the responsibility of monitoring and evaluating cent per cent Annual Development Programme after they placed the demand during the DCs' conference.
Under the banner Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), the engineers working in the government's various agencies have also protested the decision and demanded its withdrawal.Sources said the IEB in its welfare committee already held a meeting virtually and physically on February 3 and raised the demand which is yet to be announced.
Over 200 engineers from Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Power Development Board, DESCO, DESA, local government engineering department attended the 254th meeting presided over by committee chairman SM Monjurul Hoque Monju.
As the decision is yet to be withdrawn, a protest rally will be held at IEB premises on at 10 am Thursday.
A RHD engineer said the government decision would not only make the project implementation process more time consuming but also difficult as DCs are not technical persons.
He said the Planning Commission, IMED (Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division) and committees like steering committee, project implementation committee etc., are engaged in the formulation to implementation of projects through carrying the task of evaluation and monitoring.
BUET professor Moazzem Hossain also termed the decision not acceptable saying the government has its own mechanism of monitoring and evaluation and experts group. 'Anyone can see works carrying in a road, bridge but not all have the ability to provide acceptable comment due to lack of knowledge' he explained.
Assistant Professor of BUET Kazi Mohammad Saifun Newaz also viewed the decision would create an extra implementation layer. He rather opined that as the chief engineers of implementing agencies are the guardian of development projects, initiative must be taken to intensify the monitoring and evaluation efforts by them Engineers community will hold protest rally at IEB premises on Thursday.
smunima@yahoo.com