The Acting Director General of River Research Institute (RRI) of Faridpur, Arun Chandra Mohottom, has approved some 10 to 12 projects worth Tk 15 crore violating rules and regulations, sources said.
As per the existing rule of the Public Procurement Act-2006 (PPA-2006) and Public Procurement Rule-2008 (PPR-2008), the Acting DG has no authorisation to approve such project files without the recommendation of the Tender Evaluation Committee (TEC).
"The DG can only approve files if the TEC recommends," said a senior official.
TEC sources claimed the approved projects profiles were below standard, unsustainable and unethical.
Talking to the Daily Observer, Yonus and Brothers and M/S Khondoker Shahin Ahmed, two RRIF contractors, also said the approved projects' quality was very poor.
Considering the sustainability of the projects, the proprietors of the two companies, urged the TEC to retender the approved projects.
When this correspondent tried to check the performance of the Acting DG of RRIF, he found, the DG was a student of Social Science and not a student of Engineering having vast experience in the field of river research as per rule.
Officials said the equivalent post holder must be a technical person with experience of at least 3 to 5 years.
Arun Chandra Mohottom, the Acting DG, on Wednesday told this correspondent the government can appoint anyone in such a position considering one's capability and potentiality. "It is the decision of the government, so, I am not in position to oppose the order of the government as a public servant," he said.
When asked to comment on his approval of substandard projects, he said, the approval of the projects were given in conformity with the recommendation of TEC.
