Climate projects

Implementation of climate projects flawed: TIB

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has identified deficiencies in implementing climate projects by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).

The corruption watchdog has suggested 14-point recommendations to overcome the problem by taking effective measures.

TIB yesterday (Wednesday) released a study report, “Climate financing and project governance: Bangladesh Water Development Board’s Perspective”, at its Dhanmondi office.

It organised a press conference on the occasion. TIB’s executive director, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Professor Sumaiya Khair, an adviser to the executive management, and senior programme manager of the Climate Finance Governance (CFG) unit, M Zakir Hossain Khan, were present.

Unit Programme Manager of the Climate Finance Governance, Ghulam Mohiuddin, presented the study report before the journalists.

TIB has made the report on the BWDB’s six projects based on transparency, accountability, integrity and people’s partic ipation. “The project selection and approval process for funding is often influenced politically, that leads to selecting projects and allocating funds in less vulnerable areas with regard to climate change,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.

The corruption watchdog agency has found that the overall good governance was inadequate and insufficient in implementing climate projects by the BWDB.

“The climate projects are not given adequate importance and attention due to smaller allocations than the regular development budget projects. In addition to that, some of the stakeholders are involved in irregularities and corruption collectively,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.

He further said absence of meaningful participation of stakeholders concerned in curbing irregularities and corruption made the overall governance system weak.TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman said despite some positive steps taken by the BWDB in implementing the climate projects, there is corruption and lack of good governance and integrity. TIB observed that the BWDB has failed to ensure quality of work, and despite legal obligations, it failed to provide information on applying the appropriate standard.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman urged the Water Resources Ministry and the BWDB to accept the TIB recommendations positively, and take steps in this regard. The TIB recommendations include specific instructions about the contents of information to be incorporated in existing law/policies, provisions for establishing grievance redress mechanism and independent third party monitoring and evaluation should be included in the existing legal framework, sharing all relevant information (project proposal, monitoring reports, evaluation reports, audit report, tender, project design, implementation area, budget etc.) through the websites, need to assess climate vulnerabilities properly, activation of ethics committee, involving community people in project implementation and need to capacitate local people for effective use.

 

Climate projects

Implementation of climate projects flawed: TIB

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has identified deficiencies in implementing climate projects by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB). The corruption watchdog has suggested 14-point recommendations to overcome the problem by taking effective measures. TIB yesterday (Wednesday) released a study report, Climate financing and project governance: Bangladesh Water Development Boards Perspective, at its Dhanmondi office. It organised a press conference on the occasion. TIBs executive director, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Professor Sumaiya Khair, an adviser to the executive management, and senior programme manager of the Climate Finance Governance (CFG) unit, M Zakir Hossain Khan, were present. Unit Programme Manager of the Climate Finance Governance, Ghulam Mohiuddin, presented the study report before the journalists. TIB has made the report on the BWDBs six projects based on transparency, accountability, integrity and peoples partic ipation. The project selection and approval process for funding is often influenced politically, that leads to selecting projects and allocating funds in less vulnerable areas with regard to climate change, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said. The corruption watchdog agency has found that the overall good governance was inadequate and insufficient in implementing climate projects by the BWDB. The climate projects are not given adequate importance and attention due to smaller allocations than the regular development budget projects. In addition to that, some of the stakeholders are involved in irregularities and corruption collectively, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said. He further said absence of meaningful participation of stakeholders concerned in curbing irregularities and corruption made the overall governance system weak.TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman said despite some positive steps taken by the BWDB in implementing the climate projects, there is corruption and lack of good governance and integrity. TIB observed that the BWDB has failed to ensure quality of work, and despite legal obligations, it failed to provide information on applying the appropriate standard. Dr Iftekharuzzaman urged the Water Resources Ministry and the BWDB to accept the TIB recommendations positively, and take steps in this regard. The TIB recommendations include specific instructions about the contents of information to be incorporated in existing law/policies, provisions for establishing grievance redress mechanism and independent third party monitoring and evaluation should be included in the existing legal framework, sharing all relevant information (project proposal, monitoring reports, evaluation reports, audit report, tender, project design, implementation area, budget etc.) through the websites, need to assess climate vulnerabilities properly, activation of ethics committee, involving community people in project implementation and need to capacitate local people for effective use.