Widespread irregularities in parliamentary procurement

A bag worth Tk4,000 has been priced at Tk34,400. Although labelled with the name of an expensive brand, a low-quality bag has been supplied, with the logo attached separately.

Similarly, a card reader worth Tk3,000 has been billed at Tk21,500. The body of a digital SLR camera, which costs Tk338,000, has been priced at Tk709,500. Four such camera bodies have been supplied for a total of Tk2,838,000. Altogether, the government has been charged Tk 5,844,130 for a photography set, even though the actual market value of these items is less than Tk 2 million.

Incredibly, such large-scale irregularities have taken place within the National Parliament, where corruption and looting are routinely criticised. The procurement was completed with unusual speed for photographing parliamentary sessions. Although the supplier had been instructed to deliver within 30 days, the items were delivered in just 19 days. The entire process was overseen from behind the scenes by recently retired Parliament Secretariat Secretary Kaniz Mowla. While all formal procedures were followed on paper, the procurement effectively amounted to blatant misuse of public funds. According to the Secretariat, this was its first procurement following the formation of the BNP-led government. Parliament commenced on 12 March, the purchase order was issued on 25 March, and delivery was completed on 15 April.

In total, 12 camera-related items were purchased. Alongside four camera bodies, four different types of lenses were procured. Three lenses with a 24–70mm focal length were bought for Tk3,741,000, with each priced at Tk124,700, although their market value is reportedly no more than Tk78,000. A 24–120mm lens was purchased for Tk210,700, compared to a market price of Tk105,000–110,000. A 14–24mm lens was bought for Tk447,200, though its market value is said to be around Tk125,000. A 100–400mm lens cost Tk576,200, while its market price is estimated at no more than Tk235,000.

Six speedlights (flashes) were purchased for Tk663,300, meaning each cost Tk101,050, despite a market value of only Tk10,000–15,000. Similarly, 10 Sifexpress 128GB memory cards were bought for Tk322,500, and 10 SD/SDXC (128GB) memory cards for Tk81,700. Four card readers were purchased for Tk86,000, while another four of a different brand cost Tk11,180. Twenty sets of rechargeable batteries were bought for Tk68,800, and six additional rechargeable batteries for Tk83,850, with each priced at Tk13,975, although their market value is between Tk900 and Tk1,200. The tender specified Japanese brand Nikon products, but Simpex items were supplied instead.

Read More

Foreign investment falls 18%

Officials at the Parliament Secretariat said most of the supplied items were of low quality. Some bore added logos, while others included parts from different manufacturers, despite brand names being specified in documentation. Certain items appeared to have been sourced from the capital’s Stadium Market. They warned that a proper investigation would reveal the full extent of the irregularities.

The equipment was supplied by a firm named Safe Traders, owned by Sanjay Kumar Das, with an address listed at Alhaj Shamsuddin Mansion (sixth floor), 17 New Eskaton Road, Moghbazar. The company has no identifiable website, though it maintains a Facebook page. When contacted, its General Manager, Mirajul Islam, said the higher cost was due to supplying premium brands as well as VAT and taxes.

He added that such pricing is not unusual in government procurement and “happens frequently in Bangladesh”. When questioned about the discrepancy with market prices and the supply of different brands, he abruptly ended the call.

Senior Assistant Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, Md Mahidul Haque, who signed the work order, said a committee had been formed for the procurement and decisions were made based on its recommendations. “I am new to the Secretariat and had to sign due to my official position. The process was completed before I joined,” he said.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the former secretary personally oversaw the procurement and selected the company, while ensuring all procedures were formally followed to avoid future accountability.

A photographer with more than 20 years of experience at the Secretariat said a camera set costing between Tk400,000 and Tk1 million would be sufficient for photographing parliamentary sessions. “In my entire career, I have never seen or heard of such an expensive purchase,” he said.

Two professional photographers working outside the Secretariat also expressed surprise, noting that the parliamentary chamber is a relatively small space. “The specifications and costs of the camera bodies, lenses, memory cards and chargers are astonishing,” they said.

Repeated attempts to contact former Secretary Kaniz Mowla for comment were unsuccessful, and she did not respond to text messages on the matter.