A proposed housing project named “36 July,” designed for families of martyrs and the wounded, has come under serious allegations of corruption. Initial investigations revealed that costs in the project were estimated to be 3 to 45 times higher than the actual market prices.
Example of Overestimated Costs
According to the proposed budget:
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An RCC pillar that usually costs ৳900 was shown as ৳40,000.
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A lift worth ৳25 lakh was listed as ৳92 lakh.
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A substation usually costing ৳12 lakh was shown as ৳63 lakh.
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A water pump priced at ৳95,000 was budgeted at ৳4 lakh.
This means:
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Boundary walls were estimated at 45 times the cost.
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Bed lifts at 4 times.
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Substations and water pumps around 5 times higher.
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Project Moving Ahead Despite Concerns
Despite these irregularities, the project is being presented for approval in an ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) meeting. The plan includes over 800 flats and will be implemented by the National Housing Authority with a total cost of ৳761 crore, fully funded by the government.
Blame Game Among Officials
The project was started under the interim government. Now, officials involved are blaming each other for the massive cost inflation. Some have claimed that “pressure to implement quickly” may have led to these mistakes. However, no one has given a clear answer as to why no verification was done before approving such inflated figures.
No Masterplan, No Guidelines
Shockingly, there is no finalized masterplan, policy, or even design layout for this project yet. This was discussed in the Planning Commission’s PEC (Project Evaluation Committee) meeting on 16 June.
One senior official from the Planning Commission said:
“প্রতিটি প্রকল্পের জন্য সুনির্দিষ্ট নিয়মকানুন থাকা দরকার। প্রকল্প অর্জন ও সুবিধাভোগীর তথ্য থাকা জরুরি।”
“Every project must have clear rules and guidelines. It must include data on outcomes and who will benefit.”
Environmental and Ownership Concerns Ignored
An official from the General Economics Division added:
“অনুমোদনের আগে পরিবেশগত প্রভাব, মাস্টারপ্ল্যান ও বরাদ্দের বিবরণ থাকা উচিত।”
“Before approval, there must be an environmental impact study, a masterplan, and a breakdown of allocations.”
But these crucial steps were skipped, and suggestions have already been made to revise the DPP (Development Project Profile) instead.
Still Pushing for Approval
Even without solid planning or transparency, insiders say the project is almost finalized and is likely to be approved at the DPP stage soon. According to an anonymous source:
“নীতিমালা ছাড়াই প্রকল্পটি দ্রুত অনুমোদন পাবে।”
“Even without a policy, this project will likely be approved quickly.”
Source: Kalbela
