PM's priority projects

The committee has claimed, and provided persuasive evidence to back it up, that the water resources ministry is a hot-bed of irregularities and corruption, and the most explosive charges relate to the projects designated as the PM's priority projects.

By far the lion's share of these projects has been undertaken in constituencies of ruling party MPs or cabinet ministers. Among the constituencies are those of the PM's brother Syed Iskander, the PM, the law minister, the commerce minister, the PM's sister and women and children's affairs minister, and the state minister for home affairs. Indeed, the list of those whose consituencies have been allocated priority projects reads like a who's who of the senior leadership of the BNP. Only one of the 49 priority projects has been allocated to a constituency represented by an opposition MP.

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The fact that these projects have been allocated according to party consideration is undeniable -- and this is a disgrace. Not only that, but the standing committee has made allegations of corruption with respect to the priority projects, for instance pointing out that embankment protection schemes are typically implemented in the monsoon season thus perpetuating the schemes indefinitely. The standing committee also suggested that the reason the implementation rate of these projects is so poor is that there is often no real need for the projects that are approved and that they serve more as money-making enterprises.

We endorse the standing committee chairman's opinion that the only two criteria to allocating projects must be where the need is greatest and to promote some kind of regional uniformity across the country.

Let us make no mistake about it. This is a serious scandal and one that implicates the most senior layer of the government. This type of politicisation erodes public faith in leadership.

The matter is a serious embarrassment and a severe blot on the government's record. But the only way forward is for it to admit wrong-doing and take immediate remedial measures against all involved in this sordid affair. Nothing less can recover its deeply compromised credibility.