Corruption Thrived Under Development Drive: Fakhrul

Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke at a session in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) today.

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday told Parliament that widespread corruption had taken place in the name of development under the previous government.

Replying to a supplementary question from opposition lawmaker Akhter Hossen of Rangpur-4 during the question-answer session, the minister said the new administration had found serious irregularities in mega projects and development activities after assuming office a month ago.

“It is unfortunate that massive corruption was committed in the name of mega projects and development during the previous regime,” he said.

Fakhrul said the situation was particularly alarming in the northern region, where roads and streets had long remained neglected despite repeated promises of development.

He assured Parliament that the current government would not allow such practices to continue and would place special emphasis on improving rural roads and communication networks.

“In the coming days, we will not tolerate such corruption and will work with the highest priority to improve rural roads and connectivity,” he said.

Raising the issue, Akhter Hossen said rural people were suffering badly because of poor road conditions, alleging that the previous government had focused on large-scale projects while neglecting the rural road network.

He wanted to know whether the government had any plans to improve the condition of roads in the countryside.

In response to another supplementary question from opposition Jamaat lawmaker Md Abdul Aleem of Bagerhat-4, the minister said rural road development had been severely hampered by corruption and nepotism during the previous administration.

He said many rural roads across the country were still unpaved and that the government had already taken steps to upgrade them in phases.

“We have undertaken initiatives to pave earthen roads gradually,” he said.