Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) Deputy Secretary Mahidur Rahman has been suspended. He was involved with a recent IMED report on the power sector that had termed capacity charges as a “model of robbery.”
The IMED is a Bangladesh government division working under the planning ministry. Last Sunday, this ministry issued a notification releasing Mahidur and IMED Additional Secretary SM Hamidul Haque from their responsibility at that division.
Mahidur was made an officer on special duty (OSD) at the Ministry of Public Administration on the same day. Later, on Tuesday, Mahidur got suspended for misconduct under the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules.
A notification, signed by the ministry’s Senior Secretary Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, further added that Mahidur will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per regulations.
A recent study published by IMED on the power sector triggered widespread discussion and criticism. That research report was prepared on the implementation progress of 67 projects in the power sector.
The report had claimed that capacity charges in the power sector are a drain on Bangladesh’s USD reserves, and should be stopped. It also claimed that in the last 14 years, $90,000 crore have been spent as capacity charges.
It had highlighted the need for a clear plan to get the power sector out of the cycle of subsidies.
