Ministers, MPs influence climate fund: TIB

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) today alleged that climate change fund is allocated based on the influence of local ministers and lawmakers instead of the severity of the threat.  

TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said this at a press conference held at TIB office in Dhaka on the occasion of releasing a study by the organisation.

According to the TIB study titled 'Climate Financing and Local Government Institutions: Good Governance in Project Implementation', political influence plays a significant role in allocating budgets from the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund for initiating different climate change resilience projects by local government institutions.

Due to lack of good governance, projects are approved for such areas which are comparatively less endangered than others, it said.

Irregularities and corruption are major challenges in implementing the projects. In most of the cases, contracts for implementing the projects are awarded in political consideration, nepotism or illegal underhand dealings, the study also revealed.

TIB conducted the study on six projects implemented by city corporations, district councils and municipalities at different corners across the country. Data were collected in between March and November 2016.

However, TIB did not disclose the names of the projects and the districts where the projects were implemented.

The government in last couple of years has taken different initiatives to combat vulnerability and endangerment due to climate change.