Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftikharuzzaman has said more than 50 per cent of losses in projects under the government’s climate change fund involve political connections. The nature and scale of irregularities in this sector show it has emerged as a specialized area of corruption facilitated by political collusion. Various stakeholders, including the chairman and members of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCT) board, politically influential groups, some implementing officials, and contractors or executing agencies, have abused power and engaged in illegal transactions, taking corruption to new heights. Over Tk2,000 crore has been embezzled through irregularities and corruption in this fund, said Dr Iftikharuzzaman. He made the remarks at a recent press conference in Dhaka.
tIB’s Advisor and Executive Management Professor Dr Sumaiya Khair and Research and Policy Department Director Muhammad Badiuzzaman attended the event. Senior Research Fellow Md Mahfuzul Haq and Research Associate Md Sahidul Islam presented a research report titled ‘Challenges and solutions for governance in climate finance in Bangladesh’, moderated by Outreach and Communication Department Director Mohammad Touhidul Islam.