A parliamentary panel has found that a local supplier provided low-quality chairs for stadiums in Bangladesh as part of venue decoration for the 10th ICC World Cup, scheduled for February–March 2011.
‘We have compared the samples and found a portion of the products are below standard,’ the head of a two-member subcommittee of the parliamentary standing committee on youth and sports ministry, Shamsul Haq Chowdhury, told New Age after visiting a factory in China.
Based on an allegation that the suppliers have provided the authorities with low-quality chairs for the stadiums, a four-member parliamentary delegation visited the Chinese factory, in August 22–27, from where the local suppliers collected the seats.
Local companies Delco, Icon and NDE were awarded the contract for the suppy of more than 54,000 chairs for five stadiums. The inauguration of the Cricket World Cup and eight matches are schedule to take place in the stadiums.
It seemed the Chinese factory had produced the chairs with recycled waste plastic, and the quality was low in comparison with the samples, the delegation chief said, adding that he would submit the report to the committee shortly after visiting Bangabandhu National Stadium, where the inaugural ceremony will take place on February 17.
The committee at a meeting presided over by the committee chief, Zahid Ahsan Rasel, on Tuesday also asked the subcommittee to submit the report with recommendations.
The committee has decided to hold an exclusive meeting in late September on Bangladesh’s preparation for co-hosting the World Cup along with India and Sri Lanka.
The International Cricket Council has asked Dhaka to prepare the venues by mid-November for inspection.
Bangladesh is preparing five venues — Bangabandhu National Stadium, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur, Chittagong Divisional Stadium, Osmani Stadium in Narayanganj and Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna — for the inauguration and matches.
The government has allocated Tk 267 crore for decoration of the venues.
