Feasibility study reports of future projects will be carefully examined before approval, Advisor on Roads, Transport, Bridges and Energy Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan said today (November 2).

“There will be no tolerance for corruption, and only projects that benefit the people will be taken up,” he said at a seminar jointly organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) and the Association Chinese Enterprises in Bangladesh (CEAB).

The advisor said efforts were underway to combat corruption and align development with the needs of the people.

He said: “The government has focused on achieving the goals set after the July uprising while recognizing the significant debt burden on the interim government, which poses a major challenge.

“We have destroyed the infrastructure of corruption and we are committed to reducing it as much as possible through reforms,” he added.

He said people’s expectations of the government are extremely high.

“Many think we have a magic wand in our hands. In reality, we have nothing, there is no money in the banks. Politicians are eager to come to power and we too want to take back our work.”

The advisor acknowledged public frustration over corruption in the power and energy sector, as well as rising gas and electricity prices.

The seminar was moderated by BSRF General Secretary Masudul Hoque and a welcome speech was delivered by Fasih Uddin Mahtab, President of BSRF.

Dr. AKM Atiqur Rahman, Professor at the Department of Economics and Director of the Economic Research Platform (ERP) at North South University, delivered the keynote address.

Md Sardar Shahadat Ali, Director General of Bangladesh Railways; Ke Changliang, chief advisor of the Chinese Business Association in Bangladesh (CEAB); Dr Md Shamsul Haque, Professor of Civil Engineering, BUET; Dr Sharmind Neelormi, Professor of Economics, Jahangirnagar University; Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD); Mehedi H Iman, environmental specialist; Umama Fatema, coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, University of Dhaka; and Md Mahin Sarkar, coordinator of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement of Dhaka University, were also present.