World Bank Reports No Fiduciary Irregularities in Bangladesh Forest Project Amidst Local Corruption Allegations
The World Bank has stated that its supervision of Bangladesh’s $175 million Sustainable Forests and Livelihoods Project (SUFAL) found no fiduciary irregularities. This declaration comes despite reports from Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) detailing alleged cash-for-posting systems within the Forest Department and significant plantation and governance failures at a project site in Cox’s Bazar. The ACC's preliminary enforcement report, obtained by The Climate Watch, suggests that forest officers were allegedly required to pay up to Tk 5 million (approximately $40,600) for desirable postings and make monthly payments after their tenures expired. Furthermore, ACC investigators reportedly found seedlings on only 160 of 510 designated hectares in Joarianala Beat, indicating a substantial plantation gap. The World Bank's remote-sensing verification led to a downward revision of the reported restored area by 11,529 hectares, or 11.1 percent, but still concluded satisfactory plantation survival and no... 
