PM Hasina: Action against those responsible for flawed project designs

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to take action against those responsible for incorrect project designs that lead to project revision, pushing up costs.

“Identify the people whose negligence has caused flaws to project designs and wasted both money and time. Take action against them as per the rules,” she said, while presiding over a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

The Prime Minister virtually joined the meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city, from her official residence Ganobhaban. 

Planning Minister MA Mannan briefed reporters after the Ecnec meeting.

The Prime Minister introduced the instructions while revising a project titled “Construction of Important Bridge on Rural Roads” at the meeting, said Mannan.

“The Prime Minister also instructed us to inform her after taking action against those responsible.” he added.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Ecnec Chairperson, expressed dissatisfaction over the inclusion of new points of operations to projects during the revision. In many cases, projects were pushing up the costs. “Didn’t you visit the project sites properly while making the designs?” she questioned.

Concerning bridge construction projects, she asked the relevant authorities to be careful while selecting sites so that the bridges are built in suitable sites without favoring anyone. The bridges will have to be constructed in the places where people are benefited, Hasina said.

The Prime Minister asked the authorities concerned not to obstruct the water flow of rivers by constructing bridges indiscriminately and to maintain the proper heights of the bridges so that vessel movement and water flows in the rivers and canals are not blocked.

“It is good that bridges are constructed across the country. But why don’t you have a master plan (over bridge construction)?” she said pointing at the authorities concerned.

Hasina asked the officials concerned to encourage new contractors not to violate the law while bidding for government projects, and warned against appointing the same person as project director of more than one project.

“Such practices won’t be tolerated,” she said, asking the Planning Minister to take proper measures in this regard.