Move to reshuffle 11 DAE PDs questioned

Questions have been raised over a move to replace the project directors (PDs) of 11 ongoing development projects under the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), with officials questioning whether established administrative procedures were followed in preparing the proposals.

The proposed reshuffle was initiated after a sudden Zoom meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture last Sunday, reportedly without prior formal notice. Officials familiar with the matter said the performance of the existing PDs, project progress and specific reasons for seeking their replacement were not properly assessed.

Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid halted the process after reviewing the proposal, ministry sources said.

The projects involved include sustainable agricultural technology expansion in the Cumilla region, cashew and coffee research, Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness, sustainable agricultural development in Rangpur through modern agricultural technology, agricultural development in the Dhaka region, Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Management, tissue culture laboratory-cum-horticulture centre development, improved spice varieties and technology expansion, nutrition and food security, and climate-resilient livelihoods in vulnerable landscapes.

Officials at the ministry said the DAE recently sent a proposal seeking changes to the PDs of the 11 projects, with three officials proposed as possible replacements for each project.

However, the proposal reportedly did not provide detailed explanations for removing the existing PDs, including whether there were allegations against them or whether their projects were performing poorly.

A Zoom meeting on the issue was held at the ministry last Sunday with Agriculture Secretary Md Selim Khan in the chair. The meeting discussed replacing the existing PDs, following which a file was prepared on an urgent basis for the minister's approval.

The minister stopped the proposal the following day, sources said.

An official who attended the meeting said he had never seen so many PDs being proposed for replacement through such a process during his career.

"Normally, a PD is changed after reviewing a project's progress, allegations of irregularities or corruption, administrative requirements and the official's suitability. The proposed replacement's experience in project management, government procurement and relevant fields is also assessed," he said, requesting anonymity.

He claimed these issues were not adequately discussed at the meeting and alleged that the session appeared to have been convened mainly to formalise a list that had already been prepared.

The official further alleged that an influential political leader and another person had recently visited the agriculture secretary's office and handed him a list of officials, following which the Zoom meeting was arranged. The allegations could not be independently verified.

Questions have also been raised over some of the proposed replacements.

For instance, Muhammad Moniruzzaman, a senior monitoring and evaluation officer of a mushroom project, was reportedly recommended as the first choice for project director of the Cashew and Coffee Research Project.

For the Dhaka Agricultural Development Project, Deputy Director Md Abdul Gaffar, currently posted in Bandarban, was proposed to replace incumbent PD Abdul Qayyum Majumder.

Officials alleged that Gaffar had received a disciplinary punishment in 2017 over financial irregularities. They also raised questions over his inclusion following an alleged incident involving an application submitted without proper authorisation and claims that a superior's signature was forged. The allegations could not independently be verified.

There are also allegations of financial transactions linked to the proposed reshuffle. Several sources claimed that between Tk30 lakh and Tk3 crore was allegedly sought in exchange for securing preferred officials' appointments as PDs, with some officials allegedly paying advances. These allegations have not been independently verified.

Sources said lobbying for changes to DAE project directors had intensified after the fall of the Awami League government, with 12 PDs replaced following the mass uprising. They said lobbying resumed after the BNP government took office in February.

Officials said a PD plays a key role in implementing a project, ensuring proper use of public funds, overseeing procurement and tender procedures, supervising field-level activities and achieving project targets within deadlines.

They said educational qualifications, project management experience, procurement training and relevant expertise should therefore be properly assessed before appointing project directors.

The agriculture ministry has instructed that the proposed appointments be kept on hold, sources said.

Agriculture Secretary Md Selim Khan could not be reached despite repeated phone calls.