ছবি: Photo: Collected
The Mujib Year celebrations, held to honor the centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth, saw a staggering expenditure of Tk 1,261 crore by various ministries, government offices, and agencies. The details were presented at the 13th meeting of the Advisory Council held at the Secretariat on Wednesday, chaired by Chief Advisor Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
According to a press release from the Cabinet Division, this expenditure was incurred across six fiscal years—2018-19 through 2023-24—by ministries, divisions, their subordinate offices, the Election Commission Secretariat, Armed Forces Division, Anti-Corruption Commission, National Parliament, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, and the Supreme Court. The Advisory Council was informed that no further budget allocations related to Mujib Year would be made for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
An interim government has now issued directives for a detailed report on these expenditures. The Finance Division has sent formal requests to ministries, departments, and related institutions, seeking an account of the funds utilized for Mujib Year celebrations from 2018-19 to 2023-24. The correspondence, titled "Preparation of Expenditure Report on Mujib Year Celebrations," was signed by Shahriar Jamil, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Budget-1 Subdivision, and addressed to 63 senior officials, including senior secretaries, military secretaries to the president, and principal staff officers of the Armed Forces Division.
The letter instructed recipients to provide detailed expenditure accounts in a prescribed format by 4 PM on November 12, 2024, for presentation at an Advisory Council meeting. It emphasized the need for clarity and transparency in financial reporting for activities conducted during the Mujib Year period.
The expenditures included government-sponsored initiatives spanning ministries, divisions, and even grassroots-level institutions, as well as programs by private entities. Allegations of irregularities and extravagant spending have surfaced, prompting the demand for scrutiny.
Initially declared to commemorate Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary from March 17, 2020, to March 17, 2021, the Mujib Year period was extended twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, first until December 16, 2021, and later until March 31, 2022. The prolonged celebrations involved programs at all administrative levels, including private-sector participation.
Despite the grand intentions behind the initiative, reports suggest substantial wastage and mismanagement of funds in some cases. The Finance Ministry has requested ministries and agencies to itemize their spending, highlighting work descriptions and actual expenditures.
The report on Mujib Year expenses, once finalized, will provide a clearer picture of how public funds were utilized and whether they align with the objectives of honoring Bangladesh’s founding leader.
repoter
