Categorically rejecting TIB’s research report over bribery culture in RAJUK, Housing and public works minister SM Rezaul Karim Wednesday said TIB report is intentionally motivated. TIB is trying to demean RAJUK in an attempt to grab the limelight.
He came up with the reaction at a press briefing at his Secretariat office in the capital on Wednesday. He said it might be possible that TIB is trying to get the attention and applause, demeaning a people-friendly state organisation basing on the information provided by others.
The minister said in the report TIB alleged that real estate developers pay Tk 15 lakh to Tk two crore bribe in exchange of approval to special projects; whereas the truth is after taking the office of ministry, no such special project has been approved yet. I have become minister for the last one year. Where did they get such an information? No such project has been passed.
“In another allegation, TIB mentioned that political influence works behind recruitment at RAJUK. But, you should know that no recruitment has been made after I assumed office. How there can be political influence when no recruitment has been made at all. “Applications have been invited for recruitment, but not even admit cards have been issued yet. On what information, they make such a baseless allegation,” he wondered.
Prior to the minister’s press briefing, Transparency International Bangladesh, at a press conference, released a research report titled ‘Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK): Challenges and Way to Good Governance’, at Dhanmondi in the capital.
The report has been prepared after a thorough research carried out in the relevant sector from November 2018 to December 2019.