Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has joked that one of the unusually expensive pillows linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project should be preserved in a museum after reviewing audit findings.
The remark came during the submission of 38 audit reports for the 2021–22 fiscal year at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Comptroller and Auditor General Md Nurul Islam presented the reports covering various ministries and agencies, said Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly.
The reports include findings on the widely discussed “pillow scam” related to procurement for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project during the previous government’s tenure.
“The Prime Minister noted the matter and, on a lighter note, said one of those expensive pillows should be kept in a museum,” the press secretary said.
The controversy dates back to 2019, when allegations emerged over unusually high costs in purchasing furniture and household items for the Green City Housing Project under the Rooppur project.
Audit findings showed each pillow was priced at Tk5,957, while an additional Tk760 was charged as labour cost to carry each pillow to the flats.
Irregularities in the procurement of other items were also highlighted in the report.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the audit reports were prepared under Article 128(1) of the Constitution and Section 5 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Additional Functions) Act, 1974.
A total of 38 compliance and performance audit reports covering 17 ministries and divisions, along with their directorates, departments, institutions and projects, were submitted before being placed in Parliament.
The prime minister was briefed on key observations and recommendations and stressed the need to ensure transparency and accountability in public spending.
He also emphasised assessing whether development projects are achieving their intended objectives and called for strengthening performance audits alongside compliance audits.
Officials said the reports will be placed in Parliament.
Among others, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani and Finance Secretary Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder were present during the submission.
