They also urged the government to take tough action against corruption, adding the move would increase revenue earning of the government in return.

The deputies asked the minister to suspend Annual Development Programme (ADP) allocations for the areas where local parliamentarians failed to improve law and order.

Price hike of essentials and downslide in law and order have overshadowed the achievements of the government, they observed.

Thirty BNP and a Jatiya Party (Ershad) lawmakers attended the meeting at the National Economic Council at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

"Law and order has improved from the past," Saifur told the press after the meeting, "But there are plenty of scope for improvement."

Abdul Gani, member of the Public Accounts Committee, told the minister that 39 civil servants devoured Tk 140 crore from the exchequer. "If the fund could be recovered, it would have contributed to the economy.

"There are many anomalies in the way the government agencies function," he said, adding, "Rajuk is over-estimating acquired land prices in connivance with original landowners. It is overcharging the government by Tk 10 lakh a bigha in the city."

"The PDB is more interested in big projects because officials get handsome kickbacks," he alleged, "but they are not interested in small projects because there is no kickback there."

"This should change," he stressed.

The legislators also urged Saifur to increase allocation to road transport projects, set up small power plants to support irrigation for agriculture and re-introduce food-for-work instead of the money-for-work programme.

The finance minister said he would initiate a study on the viability of setting up small power plants with 10 to 15 megawatts of capacity for irrigation.

"I will consider the suggestion," he assured the lawmakers.

Although the government transformed the food-for-work programme into money-for-work last year to 'cut corruption', Saifur agreed to revive the old system.

Saifur said the government would require as much as Tk 86,000 crore to implement the prime minister-committed road projects.

"But given our limited resources, we cannot implement them right away. This is why we are funding road-building schemes on the basis of priority."

On the suggestion of suspending ADP for areas where legislators are unable to improve law and order, Saifur said, "I agree with the concept. If the MPs act properly, it is possible to cut crime."

Citing examples of his home district Sylhet, the finance minister said, "When police arrest anyone of our student front, I don't ask them to release the arrestee. No officer is transferred. There is no instance of extortion."

"In the country of 14 crore people, the rural people are not involved in violence. A handful of urban people are involved in criminal activities," Saifur observed.

"Therefore, we need to motivate, better train and manage the police."

Criticising press reports on law and order, Saifur said, "They (the press) have their own agenda. This is why they blow up the murder incidents out of proportion. Such murders take place in New York too."

"On Pahela Baishakh, there was not a single incident anywhere in the country."

An MP suggested the government that it launch a combing operation imposing a three-day curfew to improve order.

Another deputy called for equipping the police with modern arms and better vehicles.

A parliamentarian suggested deploying 60 lakh village defence party (VDP) members on law enforcement duty, enhancing their salaries.

Hafizuddin Ahmed, the lone opposition lawmaker attending the meeting, said, "Failing law and order stoked price hike of essentials."

Members of public accounts, public estimates and public undertaking committees and parliamentary standing committees on finance and planning ministry and chairmen of other Jatiya Sangsad bodies on different ministries attended the meeting.

On April 27, the finance ministry is scheduled to hold a pre-budget meeting with all lawmakers, including from the main opposition Awami League.