The previous Awami League government undertook many
development projects. Various ministries and departments regularly approved
projects that exceeded the mid-term budget ceiling. There are also allegations
that projects were taken solely for political considerations and contractors'
interests. In the current fiscal year's Annual Development Program (ADP), there
are 1,326 ongoing projects. Additionally, another 924 projects are awaiting
approval for government funding, which is the highest number in four years.
The initial cost estimation for these unauthorized
projects is approximately BDT 5.5 trillion. However, given the changing
circumstances, there are doubts about whether these projects will be approved.
Analysts indicate that there are many uncertainties regarding the goals and
objectives of these projects. Many of them have been added to the list without
proper scrutiny. Several projects have been included for political purposes and
under pressure. There have also been widespread allegations of corruption and
embezzlement in similar projects.
Furthermore, there are instances where three-year
projects have taken up to 15 years to complete due to various complications.
The interim government needs to reassess these unauthorized projects and arrive
at a prompt decision. It is also crucial to evaluate whether these projects are
genuinely necessary.
Former professor of the Economics Department at
Chittagong University, Dr. Muinul Islam, has raised questions about various mega
projects during the previous government. Regarding the many projects listed in
the ADP, he told Bonik Barta, “These have been included for corruption and
embezzlement. The current government needs to investigate whether these
projects are necessary.”
According to sources from the Planning Commission, the
ADP for the current fiscal year 2024-25 includes 259 unauthorized new projects
funded by foreign sources. There are also 47 projects intended for
implementation through the self-financing of autonomous agencies. Additionally,
there are 924 projects awaiting approval for government funding, with an
initial estimated cost of BDT 5467.19 billion. In total, the number of
unauthorized projects stands at 1,230. These projects have been categorized based
on low, medium, and high priorities, but most unauthorized projects fall under
high priority.
An analysis of the list of unauthorized projects in the
ADP reveals that similar to previous years, projects in the transportation and
infrastructure sectors are the most numerous. This includes projects to
construct 12 separate flats in various districts, including six in Dhaka for
government officials. There are also 14 projects to construct various circuit
houses. Additionally, most projects in the education sector have been focused
on infrastructure development.
A review by the private research organization Center for
Policy Dialogue (CPD) showed that in the fiscal year 2023-24, there were 829
unauthorized projects in the ADP. In the previous fiscal year, there were 633
projects, while in 2021-22, the number was 603. This fiscal year, the number
has increased to 924.
Professor Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, a distinguished fellow
at the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), believes verifying these unauthorized
projects beforehand is essential. He told Bonik Barta, “Verification of ongoing
projects has already begun. It is necessary to establish new priorities for
these projects.”
The highest allocation in the current year's ADP has gone
to the transportation and communication sector, followed by the power and
energy sector. These two sectors account for over 40 percent of the ADP
allocation. While the previous government prioritized infrastructure
development, the current government has announced that it will prioritize human
resource development. Government advisors have also stated that special
attention will be given to the education and health sectors.
Dr. Selim Raihan, Executive Director of the South Asian
Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), believes that most projects have been
included for political considerations without proper verification. This
professor from the Economics Department at Dhaka University told Bonik Barta,
"Additional projects have been listed with the intention of corruption,
which is creating a burden in the ADP. There should be a quick reassessment of
these lists to reach a decision."
The government sets a financial limit for project
approvals for each agency and ministry through a three-year mid-term budget
framework. This policy was primarily adopted to maintain discipline in project
approvals relative to financial resources. However, almost every ministry
exceeds the limits set by the government when taking on projects.
Former Planning Secretary Pradip Ranjan Chakraborty said
that when the limits of the mid-term budget are not adhered to, there is a
shortfall in allocations for all projects. He told Bonik Barta, “When projects
are pushed beyond the limits, the allocation is less than the demand. In such
cases, the budget for all projects in that ministry has to be reduced.”
In the last fiscal year, the development allocation for
the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges was BDT 340 billion, while the
ministry required BDT 390 billion for ongoing projects. This means that more
than BDT 50 billion worth of projects were in process beyond the allocated
budget for that ministry. The same pattern is observed in other ministries as
well.
Former Finance Secretary Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury
alleged that projects in the country are not based on financial resources. He
told Bonik Barta, "Projects are forcibly added to the list through
political lobbying. As a result, due to insufficient allocations, it can take
up to 15 years to complete projects intended for three years. Consequently,
these projects do not yield significant benefits for the nation."
He said, "A project often starts with purchasing a
vehicle for the project director. Work often begins with a nominal allocation
of just BDT 5 lakh. Later, these projects get dragged on for years. This is a
structural issue that needs to be addressed."
According to CPD data, 1,138 of the ongoing projects are
more than five years old. 357 projects have been ongoing for 6-10 years, and 36
projects have been running for over 10 years. In the current fiscal year, the
timeline has been extended for 518 projects. In the previous fiscal year, the
timeline for 429 projects was also extended. This indicates that the tendency
to extend project timelines is increasing compared to before.
Efforts were made to contact planning advisor Wahiduddin
Mahmud for a comprehensive discussion, but his comments were not immediately
available. However, during the first ECNEC meeting of the interim government,
Chief Advisor Dr. Mohammad Yunus stated, "The projects taken for political
purposes during the previous government will be verified."