The two Dhaka city corporations have allocated a ward-based budget in order to appease councilors who were dissatisfied with not being able to participate in the contract allocation for budgets due to legal bar.
The mayors of the respective city corporations have allocated Tk 5 million for each Dhaka South ward and Tk 30 million for each Dhaka North ward.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) recommended the allocation on Nov 28 last year and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) decided to allocate the budget on Sept 1 this year.
The ward councilors reportedly have expenses worth thousands but don’t have enough income sources to cover those.
They have been dissatisfied since some due to the legal bar that prevents them directly participating in the tenders the city corporations called.
Even though several of them have opened contract agencies in their relatives’ name, they hardly get the tenders due to the conditions.
Under the circumstances, the councilors demanded that development projects be allocated in their favour.
Their dissatisfaction had reached to a point where they stopped attending meetings at Nagar Bhaban and with four-and-half years into their current terms, the mayors have finally allocated a budget.
Under the new initiatives, the councilors will propose development projects for their ward based on which the mayor will allocate budget.
However, the projects will be Electronic Government Procurement (E-GP) tenders but contracting agency that gets the tender must have the councilor’s attestation. They can draw the bill once the councilor attests that the project is being carried out properly.
The attestation process had existed in the past but was scrapped when allegations of ‘commission trade’ surfaced against the councilors.
Several councilors wishing to remain anonymous said that they at least have to make up for the expenses incurred during the polls in addition to giving donations for various causes.
“According to the decision of our finance committee, each councilor will be allocated Tk 30 million but it will be implemented through tenders,” DNCC ward 1 Councilor Md Achasar Uddin told Bangla Tribune.
“However, the councilors will only have attestation powers,” he added.
On DSCC’s Tk 5 million allocation, its Secretary Mostafa Kamal Majumdar said that the councilors will have to propose development projects and attest to whether it is being carried out properly.
“The councilors will submit proposals within the limited allocated budget. The projects will be scrutinized and tenders will be called,” DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said.
Responding to queries on whether the ‘commission business’ is being given legality, the mayor said that the initiative has been undertaken for ward developments and “there will be no scope for irregularities and graft.”
Bangladesh Institute of Planners General Secretary Dr Adil Mahmud Khan says ward-based budget allocation is a positive move.
“However, rules must be maintained and it must be ensured that no irregularities take place in the name of attestations,” he told Bangla Tribune.
He said that if the move has been initiated to give special privileges to the councilors it will be considered illegal but if the rules are maintained then it can bring positive outcomes.