Another corruption in AL regime: Souvenirs, campaigns, training eat up half of Tk44cr noise pollution project funds

In a glaring case of public fund mismanagement, the Department of Environment has spent approximately Tk26 crore on promotional activities, training and souvenirs under a five-year noise pollution control project during the Awami League (AL) regime, without achieving any of the key outcomes it promised. 

While the project was designed to update a two-decade-old policy and install real-time monitoring devices to curb noise pollution nationwide, officials instead prioritised posters, calendars, and souvenirs over actual interventions.

According to a recent report from the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), Tk44 crore has been spent under the project, titled "Integrated and Participatory Project to Control Noise Pollution". 

A staggering amount of Tk17.36 crore was spent on promotional materials such as posters, festoons, notebooks, pens, and tote bags while Tk8.82 crore more was spent to train transport workers, students, professionals, and other stakeholders.

The promotional materials were supposedly distributed across various districts to raise awareness, but IMED observed that most items went unused and had little to no impact on public behaviour. In many cases, the distribution was either incomplete or irrelevant to the project's core goals.

Despite the original objective to revise the Sound Pollution Control Rules, 2006, no such policy update has been materialised yet.

Even though project objectives also included establishment of sound pollution monitoring stations in all 64 districts and paperwork from the project claims Tk2.34 crore was spent for setting up 13 real-time sound monitoring systems.

However, when questioned, project officials admitted these instruments were never installed.

A core enforcement component of the initiative involved conducting mobile court operations and destroying hydraulic horns. However, in over four and a half years, the project managed only 1,749 mobile court drives, resulting in 6,331 cases and Tk81.18 lakh in fines.

Funds sanctioned during AL tenure: Rizwana

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan acknowledged that the money spent on the project has been mostly ineffective and noted that the project originated under the Awami League government. 

"No funds were sanctioned during my tenure. The procurements occurred earlier. We are now restructuring the project to ensure broader, multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement," she told The Business Standard.

Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, joint secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) and chairman of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), told TBS that the money allocated for the project has essentially gone to waste. 

"Awareness campaigns alone won't solve the issue. Without enforcement, no law can be effective," he added.

Tk1,000 for calendars, pen holders

The project spent Tk1,000 each on calendars and pen holders, distributing them as "awareness" tools. Government offices still have stockpiles of such overpriced souvenirs, including paperweights and branded items bought under the project.

However, assessing market prices of the items show they are priced no more than Tk200.

The IMED also found much of the spending unrelated to noise control, with poor transparency and paper-only seminars. Experts say funds meant for enforcement were misused on superficial activities, raising concerns over accountability and project mismanagement.

PD denies wrongdoing

Project Director Farid Ahmed claimed all spending was pre-approved and denied any wrongdoing. He said delays in the project justify seeking a one-year extension and argued that the calendars and pen holders were reasonably priced and intended to raise awareness among officials.

Farid also defended the decision to delay core tasks, such as installing sound meters or revising legal frameworks. "The bigger goal was to generate awareness, and on that front, I believe we have succeeded," he said.

IMED's report contradicts official claims, noting that many awareness billboards went unnoticed, with over a third either damaged or missing. Though 300 sound meters were reportedly bought for Tk1.14 crore, their actual use remains unverified.

An anonymous official from Intigrade Solutions Limited, hired by IMED, said, "At the start of our field surveys, most districts lacked visible awareness materials. Later, a few boards were hastily installed. Despite claims of integration, key stakeholders like doctors, police, and policymakers were excluded from enforcement plans." 

The IMED noted that the quality of the survey was satisfactory, but no follow-up action was taken based on its findings.