TDS Desk:

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has taken an initiative to cancel at least 16 development projects involving around Tk 3.21 billion at several airports, including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), despite completing all the tender processes and signing the contracts.

The projects were taken by the CAAB administration during the ousted Awami League regime.

CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan the projects are unnecessary.

“We have scrutinised the project files and found them unnecessary. That is why we decided to cancel those to save public money. We have already sent a proposal to the ministry for the final approval,” he said.

CAAB in January this year sought approval from the higher authorities to cancel the contracts and implement the projects afresh in line with the appropriate procedures set by the current government.

The projects include the construction of mosques, educational institutions, and residential and non-residential buildings at HSIA and various establishments at other airports outside Dhaka.

According to the CAAB note, administrative approval, tender process, and work orders of the projects were done without formulating development project proposals (DPPs), which is a violation of the ministry’s discipline and planning regulations.

It also mentioned the finance ministry has restrictions on expending money for the construction of buildings under the operating budget for the fiscal year 2024-25.

Besides, it said insurance documents of the works have not been found yet, although their submission to CAAB was mandatory as per the contracts. Moreover, the capacity of the works should be reassessed through a proper feasibility study.

On the other hand, the contractors claimed that the authorities started the cancellation process as their preferred contractors did not get the projects. The initiatives will result in losses not only for the contractors but also CAAB, as it will cost a lot of money and take a long time to start afresh and complete all the processes again.

The projects include the construction of a 14-storey residential building at Irshall Colony residential area in Dhaka’s Kurmitola, a 14-storey residential building at Kawla residential area, a stakeholder office building to the south of terminal building-3 at HSIA, a new mosque at CATC Complex at HSIA, and a new six-storey office building on the existing underground reservoir inside the CAAB headquarters (east side) in Kurmitola.

Besides, the projects include the construction of CEMSU office complex and warehouse at the CAAB administrative area in Kurmitola, six storeys of the 14-storey residential building at Tejgaon residential area in Dhaka, another six storeys of the 14-storey residential building at Tejgaon residential area, Ambagan new mosque complex at HSIA, and academic building (west side) of CAAB College in Kurmitola.

Apart from these, the construction of a residential building at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram; office building-cum-rest home, car parking, connecting and internal road, land development, soft landscaping, and drainage system improvement at Khan Jahan Ali Airport in Bagerhat; and multi-purpose building for central store, complaint centre, and other related office paved stake yard outside and boundary wall around power house complex at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet are among the projects.

CAAB DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS WITH ITS OWN FUNDS.

The tender process of the projects was completed, and work orders were issued to implement those on an urgent basis in order to construct facilities of offices, housing, religious places, educational institutions, etc. for increased manpower of CAAB.