Corruption riddles DoE

Corruption watchdog calls DoE largely incompetent and incapacitated in protecting the environment

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has slammed the Department of Environment (DoE) as a largely incompetent and corrupt organization that has been ineffective in protecting the environment.

The DoE was further handicapped in performing its duties by loopholes in relevant laws, such as the Environment Conservation Act 1995, TIB said in a recent report.

The findings of the report, titled “Challenges of good governance in the Department of Environment,” were disclosed at a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

According to the report, 66% of heavy industries in Bangladesh transacted bribes at some levels to gain Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificates from the DoE.

The report also found that irregularities existed at an extensive level at the DoE, including corruption, negligence, absence of skilled officers and overall shortcomings in performing as a strong and authoritative organization to protect the environment.

The study surveyed 353 industries in Dhaka and Chittagong. Officials of the DoE and environmental experts were interviewed between 2019 and 2021.

TIB Research Fellow MdNewazulMaula, who presented the findings, said loopholes in major laws such as the Environment Conservation Act 1995, enabled such major irregularities. 

“In the 1995 act, special consideration was given to providing EIA certificates to heavy industries. This has kept the option open for powerful ventures like coal power plants, brick kilns and other red listed industries to get approval despite being the biggest environmental polluters,” he added. 

The research also found that 51% of industries were operating with expired EIA certificates.

Around one-third of the surveyed industries complained that they had not been inspected by the DoE in a year. 

As much as 72% of industries are situated in residential areas, while 57% received permission without an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) despite it being mandatory. 

Moreover, TIB also claimed the DoE lacked technical expertise to handle critical technical matters regarding environmental pollution, as the law does not require appointed directorate generals to be experts in the field.  

TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said that the current situation of the DoE cast doubts over whether it was capable of handling a globally important issue with its current system.  

“We have seen how megaprojects like the Rampal power plant got EIA approval despite endangering the Sundarbans. Due to the gravity of such projects, the authority of the DoE is being undermined and, in turn, our environment and people are being put at immense risk,” he added. 

Pressure and threats from the higher authorities, powerful industries, and alliances between a group of corrupt officials of the DoE and industry owners had crippled the organisation’s ability to exercise its power, TIB said.

The organization has a shortage of staff, with 59.25% of positions vacant. Nearly 14% of its budget allocation remained unspent over the past year. 

“The DoE is the sole authority to act against big conglomerates when our country is falling prey to environmental pollution. In order to protect our country, the DoE must appear as a strong organisation,” Dr Iftekharuzzaman said. 

TIB also came forward with recommendations aimed at restoring good governance at the DoE, including appointing officials with technical expertise at every level, increasing monitoring and enforcement measures against big companies, and amending backdated environmental laws.