Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Iftekharuzzaman today said tripartite syndication among politicians, interrelated bureaucrats and contractors must be prevented to check corruption in road and highway projects.

“In the road and highway sectors, policy formulation of development activities, government procurement systems and project implementation processes have been controlled in a manipulated way through the tripartite syndication among politicians, relevant bureaucrats and contractors,” he said.

“This tripartite collaboration must be stopped,” he said while addressing a press conference at TIB’s office in the city’s Dhanmondi area.

Earlier, the result of a study titled ‘Challenge of Good Governance in Implementing Road and Highways Project’ was published there.

TIB Chief said irregularities and corruption in the implementation of road and highway projects through tripartite collusion have been institutionalized in the country for a long time, creating opportunities for politicians, officials and contractors to amass huge amounts of money illegally.

The expenditure on development work is increasing apart from making built structures substandard and unsustainable due to irregularities and corruption, hampering the objectives of the projects and incurring huge loss and misuse of national resources, he added.

Iftekharuzzaman suggested enacting a ‘Conflict of Interest Act’ to prevent personal gain, nepotism and corruption in all government activities.

This act should be reflected in the rules and regulations related to the implementation of road and highway development projects, he added.

When conflict of interest arises in the tripartite collaboration of politicians, related bureaucrats and contractors, they indulge in corruption, he said.

Politicians, government officials and contractors involved in irregularities and corruption should be identified and brought to book, he recommended.

Strict implementation of relevant laws, regulations and guidelines should be ensured at every stage of implementation of road and highway development projects, he said.

All procurement related to the projects should be conducted through e-Government procurement (e-GP) process, he opined.