There are currently 1,300 ongoing development projects in Bangladesh, all of which were initiated during the previous Awami League government. However, before most of the mega projects could be completed, the Awami League faced a mass uprising led by students and the public, which ultimately led to their downfall.
After the interim government, led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, took charge on August 8, 2024, very little progress has been made on these incomplete projects over the past year. Some have completely stalled, while others are moving forward at a sluggish pace.
In this context, Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud, in an exclusive interview, said that
“almost all the mega projects taken under the Awami League government are full of corruption and mismanagement.”
He explained that the interim government is currently working on reducing excessive project costs, revising faulty designs, and changing contractors where necessary steps that are contributing to the current slow pace of work.
The advisor stressed that the government is keen to implement these billion-dollar mega projects efficiently to avoid further economic losses.
“Some of the projects have already overcome bureaucratic hurdles and have resumed full operations. These will be completed within the planned timeline,” he said.
Wahiduddin Mahmud also mentioned that reassessments have been completed for several key projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Payra Deep Sea Port, and the Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. These projects are expected to become fully active by the middle of the current fiscal year.
Read More: EC Wants Full Power to Cancel Entire Constituency Vote in Case of Irregularities
Regarding the MRT-06 metro rail line extension from Motijheel to Kamalapur, the advisor noted that all technical evaluations have been completed, and a new agreement has been signed with Japan’s JICA. He added that work on the MRT Line-5 is also ongoing.
Finally, he emphasized the government’s goal to make all mega projects free from corruption and delays.
“The Planning Ministry’s specialized division, IMED (Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division), is being strengthened for this purpose,” he said. “IMED will be empowered to inspect projects more closely and take immediate action if any irregularities are found.”
Source: Somoy Tv
