United News of Bangladesh

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo on Tuesday said the government has launched a comprehensive crackdown on corruption within the climate sector, following reports of massive financial irregularities over the past 14 years. Responding to a query from BNP lawmaker AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon (Noakhali-1) regarding measures taken to curb graft, the minister confirmed that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is currently investigating a report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The TIB report, published on November 4, 2025, alleged corruption amounting to Tk 2,110 crore in projects funded by the Climate Change Trust Fund between 2009-10 and 2023-24. ‘Family Card’ to be launched on pilot basis before Eid: Minister Mintoo Mintoo informed the House that the Trust Fund has already provided all requested documents and data to the ACC to facilitate the ongoing probe. To ensure future transparency and accountability, the minister outlined several strategic initiatives. He noted that the government is in the process of integrating project processing into the Planning Division's PPS software to enable online monitoring. Furthermore, a new 12-member technical sub-committee has been formed to rigorously vet and select projects, guided by a newly formulated set of criteria for climate-vulnerable areas. To further strengthen oversight, the government has introduced the "Trust Fund Money Use Policy (Revised 2025)" and updated guidelines for managing permanent deposits. The minister added that a digital monitoring system is also being developed to oversee approved projects in real-time. "If any irregularities or allegations of corruption are detected during project implementation, the respective administrative ministries take immediate investigative and legal action," Mintoo stated. The minister also highlighted reforms within the Department of Environment (DoE). He said the environmental clearance process has been moved entirely online to eliminate manual interference. Additionally, the DoE has stepped up internal audits, regular supervision, and integrity training for its officials. The government remains firm in its commitment to ensuring good governance in the environment and climate sectors, the minister concluded, promising that all allegations of misconduct would be dealt with strictly.