Take action against those responsible for flawed project designs: PM at Ecnec meeting

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today directed the authorities concerned to take action against those responsible for flawed designs that lead to project revision, driving up costs.

"Identify those whose negligence has caused flaws in project designs and waste of both money and time. Take action against them as per rules," she said while virtually presiding over a meeting titled 'Construction of Important Bridge on Rural Roads' of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

Planning Minister MA Mannan briefed reporters after the Ecnec meeting. "The Prime Minister also instructed us to inform her after taking action against those responsible," he said.

The PM expressed dissatisfaction over the inclusion of new points of operations to projects during the revision in many cases, pushing up costs. "Didn't you visit the project sites properly while making designs?" she questioned.

Regarding bridge construction projects, she asked the relevant authorities to be careful so the bridges are built in suitable sites without doing favour to anyone. The bridges will have to be constructed in places where people are benefited, Hasina said.

Hasina asked the officials concerned to encourage new contractors to not violate the law while bidding for government projects, and warned against appointing the same person as project director of more than one project.

"Such practice won't be tolerated," she said asking the Planning Minister to take proper measures in this regard.