MPs will get 250 million taka for infrastructure development in their constituencies over a period of five years. MPs will get 50 million taka every year to spend on building roads, bridges, culverts, markets and ghats.
However, 20 MLAs from municipal corporation areas will not get this fund and MLAs from reserved seats will also not get this fund.
There has long been criticism over the involvement of MPs in infrastructure development. There has been an increasing conflict between MPs and the Upazila Chairman over development projects. Experts believe that this conflict is weakening the Upazila administration. Article 65 of the Constitution states that the duty of MPs is to legislate while Article 59 states that development is vested with the local government.
Sources in the Planning Commission and the Local Bodies Ministry said that 280 MPs will get 50 million taka every year for five years. The MPs will get this fund on priority basis from the 'Rural Infrastructure Development Project-4'. MPs from municipal corporation areas have been excluded from this as this project is related to rural areas.