LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today told parliament that the government would review relevant laws to prevent contractors who had benefitted during the "fascist" era from continuing to secure public projects.

The minister was responding to a question from BNP MP Ashraf Uddin (Narsingdi-2) during a Rule 71 discussion on urgent public importance.

Ashraf Uddin alleged that under the e-GP system, contractors linked to the former regime were still winning bids on the strength of profiles built during that period.

He claimed that these contractors frequently resold projects multiple times, ultimately passing them on to unqualified local operators who used substandard materials for profit.

Mirza Fakhrul said the matter had already been discussed with the prime minister and the finance minister, and steps would be taken to ensure that "the right people" received the work.

He added that relevant laws would be reviewed, though he did not specify which legislation was under consideration.

The e-GP system operates under the Public Procurement Act.

Earlier in the discussion, Ashraf Uddin had demanded that local contractors be given priority over those from other districts or divisions in LGED projects, arguing that contractors brought in from outside often created implementation problems.

Dhaka's playgrounds and parks

Reserved seat MP Nilofar Chowdhury urged the government to recover playgrounds and parks in Dhaka and other cities from encroachment and drug users.

She said the spaces, once safe for children and families, had been overrun by drug dealers, hawkers, and unauthorised structures.

"Playgrounds are like cattle recorded in the register but missing from the barn," she remarked, noting that many fields had been occupied by clubs, markets, and even bazaars.

In response, Mirza Fakhrul said that during the "fascist" regime, many open spaces had been seized for partisan purposes.

Since the BNP government took office, he said, efforts had been made to reclaim them.

He noted that most parks and playgrounds under Dhaka South City Corporation had been nearly lost before the current government began recovery and development work, adding that Dhaka had 256 parks and playgrounds under city corporations and other agencies, and that initiatives were under way to restore them gradually for public use.