The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has faced allegations of widespread corruption across multiple projects over the past 15 years, with critics claiming the ministry prioritized financial misconduct over technological progress.
At one point, it was spread to the people that the ICT building is actually the Ministry of Corruption Technology. Because, how and to what extent corruption can be done was planned first, and the projects were taken later.
Corruption has allegedly tainted nearly 324 projects, including the Info Sarkar 3, A2i, and Idea Project initiatives, as well as ventures linked to mobile app development, a video game for Bangabandhu's birth centenary, and a concert in New York. Critics claim these projects drained public funds while achieving minimal results.
Between 2013 and 2015, the ICT Division reportedly developed around 600 mobile applications at a cost of Tk 183.5 million. However, only 44 of these apps remain available on Google Play, with many described as non-functional.
Apart from this, the ICT Ministry has looted money in the name of outsourcing. Outsourcing has been done under almost all projects. It has been alleged that this medium is used to mainly remove money from the project and launder it abroad. All this has been done under the leadership of State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
On the other hand, these works are widely promoted through the ministry. Various types of banners, festoons, digital images, BTV, mobile SMS are being promoted in various ways.
Meanwhile, 33 projects in the information and communication technology sector implemented by the Awami League government are being brought under investigation. The financial value of which is 9.5 thousand crore taka. This decision has been taken after allegations of major financial corruption and money laundering were raised in these projects.
There was direct intervention in each project by the government's policy-making officials, including State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak. The budget amount has been increased in some of these projects in stages.
Those concerned believe that the most corruption has occurred in the name of project purchases. There have been allegations that multiple pieces of evidence have been found of billing without even spending.
The concerned said that projects in the ICT sector started being taken up since 2010. These projects are implemented by the Bangladesh Computer Council, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park, ICT Division, Department of Information and Communication Technology, Digital Security Agency and Controller of Certifying Authority.
Among the projects, the project with the highest budget of Tk 2,141 crore is the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Development (Info Government Phase III-Revised). The second highest is the establishment of a four-tier national data center of Tk 1,600 crore (Second Revised) and the third highest is the Development of National ICT Infra-Network for Bangladesh Government Phase-II (Info Government-Second Project) of Tk 1,296 crore.
On the other hand, a 13-member investigation committee evaluated 21 projects taken up by the ICT Division and its subordinate agencies and departments from 2009 to the 2023-24 fiscal year. The committee was formed on August 8, convened by the additional secretary of the department, Mahbubur Rahman.
Those involved in the investigation said that almost half of the allocation of the projects had been looted. The investigation committee was surprised to see this picture. All this looting was done under the leadership of former State Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The investigation committee said that information about looting was found in almost every project. Purchases were made at sky-high prices. The expenses were immense.
The head of the investigation committee, Additional Secretary of the ICT Department (Planning and Development Division), Mahbubur Rahman, told Bangladesh Pratidin that instructions were given to eliminate unnecessary amounts of money from most of the projects during the investigation. This has saved the government a huge amount of money. If unnecessary parts are eliminated from the projects taken by the Awami League government, the government will save 6,981 crore taka.
Regarding corruption and irregularities in the ICT Ministry during the Awami League government, Fahim Mashrur, an information and communication technology analyst and co-coordinator of Voice for Reform, told Bangladesh Pratidin, “In the last 10 years, it has been seen that the budget of the ICT and Telecommunication Ministry has increased by about seven to eight times. Regarding the purpose of this budget increase, we were told that Digital Bangladesh, equal opportunities will be provided to increase internet use between urban and rural people, and an ICT industry will be built. From which 5 billion dollars can be exported annually. However, despite spending thousands of crores of taka, our digital inequality has not been eliminated. Rural people still cannot use the internet.”
He said, “Our ICT industry exports only half a billion, that is, 500 million dollars. Whereas Pakistan exports 3 billion and India exports 200 billion dollars. Overall, most of the projects taken during the previous government's tenure were taken to loot money.”
Bangladesh Mobile Subscribers Association President Mohiuddin Ahmed told Bangladesh Pratidin, “All the stories about the development of Digital Bangladesh that former ICT State Minister Palak has told since 2009 are completely a kind of fraud. There has been much more corruption than the development that has taken place. In a word, people's pockets have been emptied by telling stories of development and digital. We demand punishment of the criminals subject to a thorough investigation.”
(Translated by Tanvir Raihan)
