Photo : Collected
Debiganj municipality of Panchagarh district's purchase of solar street lights has beaten the much-discussed Rooppur nuclear power plant pillow incident by showing incredible expenditure on purchases. In the financial year 2022-2023, massive embezzlement took place in the name of climate change trust fund purchases.
A total of 150 solar street lights were purchased for Tk 1 crore 79 lakhs. In this, the market estimation committee fixed the price of each light at 1 lakh 20 thousand taka. Accordingly, tenders were issued and the contracting firm supplies the lights to the municipality. Due to installation of low quality lights, the lights began to deteriorate within a few days. This has created complications.
ACC's integrated district office, Thakurgaon, conducted the enforcement operation as complaints were coming in one after the other. According to the preliminary investigation by the ACC, the current market price of lights of the same model and the same company is Tk 39,000 each. But at that time, the concerned officers in charge of Debiganj Municipality bought each light of the same model and company for 1 lakh 20 thousand taka. Apart from this, ACC has found preliminary evidence of purchase of insecticides at an excess of market price per drum. In view of the allegations of misappropriation of money allocated for various projects, this information came out initially in the review of an enforcement operation team from the Anti-Corruption Commission, Integrated District Office, Thakurgaon (September 12 last year).
According to sources from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), an enforcement operation was carried out by the Integrated District Office in Thakurgaon against the Debiganj Municipality of Panchagarh district. The operation aimed to investigate the misappropriation of funds collected from various sectors of the municipality, earmarked for different projects. As the Mayor was absent on official duty, the Enforcement Team Panel, accompanied by the Mayor and the Assistant Engineer, conducted an inquiry into allegations regarding the installation of low-quality solar street lights. These lights were part of a project involving the construction of 150 solar street lights at a cost of approximately 1 crore 79 lakh rupees.
During the review of records, the Thakurgaon ACC office discovered that each solar street light was purportedly set up at a cost of 1 lakh 20 thousand taka. As part of the investigation, pictures of solar street lights, panels, and battery models were taken from four different locations. The ACC has already identified one solar street light as being of poor quality and therefore unusable.
The solar street lights in question are identified as solar PV lights with model number ESM 125 Ward, manufactured by Taurat Technology. Thakurgaon ACC officials also observed instances of solar street lights being installed on private property (Bombay Agro Ltd.), contravening regulations. Additionally, the purchase of insecticides at prices exceeding market rates per drum serves as preliminary evidence of irregular procurement practices.
In response to these allegations, Debiganj Municipality Panel Mayor Md Altaf stated that the lights were procured during the tenure of the 2020 committee, preceding the current administration. He clarified that the current committee inherited these lights upon assuming office, and he personally witnessed their presence during the ACC operation. Mayor Altaf mentioned that although he heard about the purchase price of 1 lakh 20 thousand taka per light, it occurred during his predecessor's tenure as the executive officer of the upazila in 2020. He expressed limited knowledge about the specifics of the lights beyond this context.
The former Debiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Pratya Hasan, stated, "I am not currently in that position, so I am unaware of the situation."
When approached, Municipal Engineer Sakhawad Ali commented, "My responsibility is to ensure the quality of the work being carried out. I am not aware of the procurement details or costs."
Abu Bakkar, the current mayor of Debiganj municipality, clarified, "I was not serving as the mayor at that time. Tender processes are overseen by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer. I received the lights and supervised their installation."
Mr. Tahasin Munabil Haque, Deputy Director and leader of the enforcement team at the Thakurgaon office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), stated, "Towards the end of last year, we conducted an enforcement operation in Debiganj municipality in response to a complaint. During the operation, we substantiated the initial allegations. Subsequently, I have submitted a report to the commission. Upon receiving the commission's decision, we will investigate and determine responsibility, taking further necessary actions in accordance with the law and regulations as swiftly as possible."
Messenger/Fameema
