Manju rails against his environment ministry

The environment minister has expressed regret over the fact that absence of effective projects in his ministry leads to its funds being spent elsewhere.

At a discussion held on the climate at the capital on Tuesday, Anwar Hossain Manju said, “Our ministry has more or less turned into a charity box. We have no running projects of our own; money from our ministry is taken by six or seven other ministries for various projects of their own.”

Moreover, the minister said, it was difficult to keep pace with the bureaucratic policy of frequently transferring officers to and from this specialised ministry.

“We need officers with specialised knowledge to work on environmental issues. The ministry cannot afford to cope with frequent transfers of officers in accordance with bureaucratic regulations,” he said.

An officer, if transferred to the environment ministry from the family planning ministry, will simply not fit the job profile, Manju said.

Manju is one of the leaders belonging to parties outside the Awami League in Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet. The Jatiya Party faction chairman was the communications minister in the 1996 Awami League cabinet.

The minister, who was attending a workshop on ‘Climate Fundings: Bangladesh Context’, put emphasis on raising awareness about the correct utilisation of the funds proposed by developed countries to prevent climate changes.

“There are many who complain that the developed countries are not giving us adequate compensations. Although it is true, it also needs asking if Bangladesh has the effective planning and projects to make improvements in its climate,” he said.

“Given a systematic approach, the renovation of the Gulshan-Baridhara Lake is a matter of only a day. The question is have we seen any initiatives yet?”

“Wastes from the tanneries are polluting the Buriganga and the Shitalakkhya rivers. Have we implemented the projects taken to move the tanneries?”

“Why blame the West if we are not conscious ourselves,” the minister remarked.