The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) took a project of Tk 574 crore to make cinemas about the family members of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Out of this amount, the production cost of 10 movies was estimated at Tk 378 crore. The remaining Tk 196 crore was allocated to supervise the production of those films. This project was included in the list of future projects during the Awami League government called the 'green leaf file'.
The investigating officers were surprised to see such a project. Raising questions, they told Bangladesh Pratidin that the responsibility of film production lies with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Why will the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology make films? The Ministry concerned said that the project was taken with the special interest of former State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak. They said that this project was taken to please the high command of the government and to loot the public money.
The interim government formed a seven-member investigation committee led by an additional secretary to evaluate the irregularities and corruption in various projects taken during the then Awami League government. Audit experts and law experts have been included in the committee. This probe body is working now and will submit its report to the ministry. After receiving the report, Information and Broadcasting and ICT Advisor Nahid Islam will present the corruption scenario to the countrymen at a press conference. The committee has already found evidence of looting of thousands of crore Taka in various projects. It is working on 25 future projects in the ICT sector initiated by the Awami League government alongside the ongoing projects.
While speaking about the progress of the investigation, the head of the committee and ICT Division's Additional Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said, “We are working on 25 future projects taken by the Awami League government besides the ongoing projects. A budget of several thousand crore Taka was proposed for these projects. We have found the gaps of irregularities and corruption in these projects. Eight such projects have already been dropped directly. Some more projects will be curtailed. It means these projects were taken only for looting purposes.”
About the project of Tk 574 crore, he said Tk 378 crore was allocated to make 10 cinemas about the family members of Sheikh Hasina family. First of all, why the ICT ministry will make films? Secondly, the budget of these films is unusual and unreal from the perspective of Bangladesh. Considering this, that project has been dropped at first.
When questioned, film director S A Haque Alik told Bangladesh Pratidin that the budget of most Bangladeshi films is below one crore Taka. Taka 4-5 crore has been spent on the films ‘Priyotoma’ and ‘Rajkumar’ which are high-budget cinemas in the country.
The film concerned said if the average cost of the 10 films for the Sheikh family is counted, the amount will stand at Tk 50 crore. If the amount is doubled, it will be Tk 100 crore. Then in which sector rest amount of Tk 474 crore is spent? Unfortunately, there is nobody to answer this question. Officials and employees of the ICT ministry said they don’t know anything. The project was taken by the directive of the high command.
bd-pratidin/GR
