He said the burden of past irregularities and accumulated debt has ultimately fallen on the country’s 200 million people.
Speaking at an exchange meeting with police officials at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Monday, Tarique Rahman cited findings from audit reports by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to highlight what he called the country’s fragile economic condition.
Questions Over Rooppur Project Costs
The prime minister expressed shock over expenditures linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, claiming that a single pillow for foreign staff quarters had reportedly been priced at Tk 80,000.
He also alleged that dressing tables worth Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000 were purchased for between Tk 400,000 and Tk 500,000.
“A similar project in a neighboring country cost around Tk 14,000 crore, whereas our Rooppur project expenditure reached nearly Tk 96,000 crore,” he said.
Allegations Regarding Karnaphuli Tunnel
Referring to the Karnaphuli Tunnel project, Tarique Rahman alleged that Tk 50 crore had been withdrawn in the name of planting trees near the tunnel entrance, although no trees were actually found there.
He further claimed that hundreds of crores of taka had been wasted on constructing unnecessary luxury apartments on the opposite side of the tunnel.
LGRD and Missing Funds
The prime minister also accused the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of large-scale corruption.
According to him, nearly Tk 35,000 crore was withdrawn in Pirojpur district alone through projects that existed only on paper, while no actual work was carried out. He said many of those projects are now stalled due to ongoing litigation.
He further claimed that across several government divisions, around Tk 6,000 crore remains unaccounted for in a single district.
Padma Bridge Spending Under Scrutiny
Questioning the cost of the Padma Bridge, Tarique Rahman said structures such as the Jamuna Bridge or India’s Bhupen Hazarika Setu could be constructed within Tk 15,000 crore, while the Padma Bridge cost between Tk 54,000 crore and Tk 56,000 crore.
“If these unnecessary expenditures had not occurred, we could have invested much more in education, healthcare, and the development of police and armed forces,” he said.
“The burden of loans created by projects costing four times more than necessary is now hanging over every citizen.”
Assurances to Police Officials
The prime minister assured police officials that the government remains committed to resolving problems related to housing, transportation, and information technology within the police force.
However, he urged patience, reminding officials of the economic limitations created by what he described as widespread looting in the past.
Earlier in the day, Tarique Rahman delivered a policy-guidance speech to police officials at the Shapla Convention Center in Tejgaon.
The event was attended by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Home Secretary Monjur Morshed Chowdhury, and Inspector General of Police Ali Hossain Fakir, among other senior officials.
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