Muhith admits mistake about claims on money being disbursed for projects

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has admitted his mistake in the face of strong criticisms from the MPs for his claim over allocation of fund for an infrastructure project.

“The discussion we had in Parliament yesterday (Tuesday) was not entirely correct,” Muhith told Parliament on Wednesday.

He said the project had been taken during the Awami League-led government’s last tenure.

“It was supposed to complete in 2013 but later extended to December 2015. Almost entire fund allotted has been spent. The rest will be utilised by June,” he said.

The finance minister faced wrath of the MPs while replying to queries on behalf of Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday over allocation of fund for the project to build and improve roads in constituencies of MPs.

Muhith had claimed the money was allotted and he himself had received it.

Though Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and senior MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim pointed out that the claim Muhith had made was wrong, the finance minister stood his ground on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he said the local government ministry received the new project earlier in the day.

According to him, the estimated cost of the new infrastructure project was over Tk 61.74 billion. The previous project cost was Tk 9.73 billion.

“It has been sent to the ECNEC for clearance. The work will start after getting the nod,” Muhith said.