An estimated Tk 1,261.05 crore was spent for the celebration of Mujib Year between FY2018–19 and FY2023–24 by ministries and divisions, marking the centenary of birth of the founding president of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The highest amount of Tk 547 crore was spent in FY21–22 when the macro-economy was already facing sharp downturns, forcing the Bangladesh Bank to impose imports bans due to shortage of dollars, said the finance ministry officials.
The Finance Division is compiling the expenditure following a directive from the Council of Advisers to the interim government to find out how much money was spent in the name of Mujib Year celebrated during Covid-19 pandemic. Â
While thousands of people were struggling to maintain livelihood amid severe disruptions in business and all other economic activities brought by the Covid lockdown, the Awami regime spent Tk 232 crore in FY19–20 and Tk 217 crore in FY20–21 in 11 areas as part of the celebration.Â
The areas are establishment of Mujib Corners, video documentaries, steel and plastic bill boards, coat pins, lighting, commemorative books, discussions and special prayer sessions, medical campaigns, cultural events and tube-well supply to shelter home for landless and homeless people.
Economists observe that wastage of public money in unnecessary and extravagant development projects amid falling revenue was a common feature of the Awami League regime that was ousted in a student-led mass uprising on August 5 forcing Sheikh Hasina to resign as prime minister and flee to India.
They attribute the almost double-digit inflation plaguing the economy for the last two years of the Awami League’s 15-year regime mainly to the printing of money for meeting the growing expenses.
Finance Division officials said that they were yet to receive the expenditure in this regard from the Prime Minister’s Office despite repeated queries.
Referring to the report compiled with data from 61 ministries and divisions other than the prime minister’s office, they said that the Local Government Division made the highest expenditure of Tk 283.15 crore in six financial years for the Mujib Year celebration.
The railway ministry is closely following it with Tk 274.67 crore.
The industries ministry and cabinet division are on the third and fourth position with the expenditure of Tk 196 and Tk 138 crore respectively.
The housing and public works ministry and Public Security Division under the home ministry spent Tk 133.91 crore and Tk 41.67 crore respectively among 62 ministries and divisions.
Of the 61 ministries and divisions, these six ministries and divisions also account for around 85 per cent of the overall expenditure, while the rest 55 ministries and division account for the remaining 15 per cent.
The Finance Division officials said that the finance ministry would submit the compilation report to the interim government’s advisory council soon.Â
On November 8, the Council of Advisers in a weekly meeting decided to find out the amount of money spent by each ministry for the purpose.
