Under the directive of prime minister Tarique Rahman, a special committee has been formed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of ongoing development projects, aiming to eliminate wasteful spending and ensure alignment with the national interest.
‘The committee will review projects that have been delayed for long periods or have seen repeated cost increases. This clearing of the balance sheet is essential to fulfill promises made to the citizens,’ said Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The minister made these remarks while speaking to journalists following the first meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council of the newly formed BNP government with the prime minister in the chair at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat.
He mentioned that the committee, headed by prime minister’s finance and planning adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, is tasked with a cleaning process to identify which projects should be terminated, which can be extended, and which new initiatives should be adopted for the future.
He described this as a necessary step to remove bad projects from the system to make room for good ones that provide real value to the public.
Regarding the ECNEC meeting, the minister revealed that a total of 19 projects were placed before the ECNEC for consideration. Out of those 19, only seven projects were reviewed during today’s session, he added.
Among the seven reviewed, he said, some were approved, while the remaining projects were referred back for further consideration and deeper scrutiny.
‘We have to be very careful because every taka spent belongs to the people of Bangladesh,’ the Minister stated, noting that many previous projects were questioned regarding their necessity and logical justification.
He said that the ultimate goal of the committee’s work is to clear the current backlog of questionable projects as quickly as possible.
By addressing these unnecessary expenditures of taxpayer money, he said, the government intends to shift focus to new projects that directly reflect the current government’s manifesto and meet the immediate needs of the people.
While talking to reporters, Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir highlighted that many projects were previously initiated based on political considerations rather than economic viability, often lacking a clear Return on Investment (ROI).
The new committee, formed under the direction of the head of government, will scrutinize these projects to determine their necessity and whether they should continue, he added.
The adviser emphasized that the government aims to shift away from a culture of political patronage toward a system where public money is strictly used for public welfare.
He noted that the history of project expenditure in the country has often lacked accountability, with costs frequently increased through various tricks.
The adviser pointed out a concerning trend where the government’s operating expenses have risen while the Annual Development Program (ADP) has not seen proportional growth.
He stressed that ADP constitutes capital expenditure, which is vital for achieving national growth.
‘If the quality and implementation rate of the ADP do not increase, the national growth rate will continue to decline,’ the adviser warned, noting that the growth rate has recently faced downward pressure due to stagnant capital spending.
Addressing questions regarding political bias, the adviser stated that in the past, projects were often used as tools for partisan patronage or to benefit party workers.
He asserted that the current government’s focus is to transform election manifestos and public commitments into a national agenda.
The goal of the review committee is to ensure that every project aligns with the national interest and the mandate of the people, he added.
The ECNEC approved five development projects with an estimated total cost of Tk 483.43 crore.
Of the total project cost, Tk 390.84 crore will be financed from the government exchequer while Tk 92.59 crore will be sourced through project loans or grants.
The General Social Infrastructure Development Project-2 (GSIDP-2), managed by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), has had its budget increased to Tk 1,450 crore and is scheduled for completion in June 2027.
In contrast, the Char Development and Settlement Project-4 (CDSP-4) saw a reduction in its total cost, which now stands at Tk 30.7186 crore.
The IT Training and Incubation Center project received a cost increase of Tk 228.4454 crore which now stands at Tk 533.5492 crore and will now continue through June 2026.
Funding for the Modernisation of Diagnostic Imaging Facilities across eight divisional medical college hospitals has risen to Tk 1,213.7050 crore, with the project timeline extended to June 2028.
Finally, the Establishment of Gopalganj Dental College and Hospital (2nd Revision) was granted a cost increase of Tk 26.49 crore, bringing its total budget to Tk 139.3093 crore with a target completion date of June 2026.
