DCs fear public discontent as spending halted 

Deputy Commissioners are warning of public dissatisfaction over the suspension of government spending on land acquisition, even as the decision will save the government some Tk 20,000 crore.

Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Mostafizur Rahman sent a letter to the Finance Division in this regard, saying there is a fear of public dissatisfaction in the district as landowners affected by acquisition projects are not receiving money from the government.

“Most of the projects in the district are being managed by government funding. Owners affected by the land acquisition of these projects are not getting money from the government,” Mostafizur said in the letter, adding this might lead to public dissatisfaction in various project areas.

The letter also said, “Ever since the issuance of the government notification on suspending land acquisition, cheques prepared for the affected owners are also not being released while there are many pending checks which have been suspended.”

The government decided to completely suspend spending on land acquisition and the purchase of machinery and equipment under the operating budget for the fiscal year 2022-23t to reduce expenditure, according to a notification issued by the Finance Division last month.

According to the notification, no more fresh notification of award (NoA) will be issued under the ‘building and establishment’ sector while not more than half of the funds allocated in the budget can be spent for NoAs already issued.

Besides, the notification added that spending will remain suspended in case of procurement of computers, furniture, and other equipment. In addition, funds allocated for these purposes cannot be transferred to other sectors or no funds can be transferred to these sectors from other sectors.

Amid a volatile global economy due to the Russian-Ukraine war, the government has taken several austerity measures to cut spending apart from the halt in land acquisition. So far, the Finance Division has issued at least seven cost-saving circulars and notifications in the first six and a half months of the ongoing fiscal year.

“According to the Section 8 of the Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Act, 2017, after the acquisition process of the government is over, the department concerned is obliged to pay the owner affected by the acquisition,” a Finance Division senior official told The Business Post on condition of anonymity.

The official also said, “The Finance Division can issue a clarification circular in this regard. However, the concern of public dissatisfaction on the project areas should be looked into by the department concerned. Because such letters are coming from district administrators.”

Meanwhile, the suspension of land acquisition is expected to delay the implementation of the annual development plan (ADP).

Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam, former advisor to the caretaker government, said, “Delay in land acquisition is considered as one of the main reasons behind the poor implementation of ADP. If the acquisition is delayed, then on the one hand the project cost will increase, on the other hand, it will take more time.”

He also said that the government should pay the affected landowners fast because if that money enters the market, it will help the economy to turn around.

“The government’s move to reduce the amount of spending money will harm the revenue. The government should focus on cost savings as well as revenue growth,” he said.