Only nine megaprojects have eaten up more than 12 per cent of the next year's development budget while the remaining 1,141 ones get the rest of the allocations, officials said on Monday.
The government has set a Tk 3.0 trillion Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the next fiscal year (FY) 2026-27, where Tk 363.99 billion, or 12.133 per cent, fund has been earmarked for nine mega projects, official figures showed.
Analysts said the government's ADP grabs a handsome amount of the development budget every year, which sometimes affects the social sector development.
Most of the mega projects are related to the infrastructure development works, resulting in a less focus in terms of budget allocation on the education and health sectors, they added.
Among the nine mega projects, the Rooppur nuclear power plant (RNPP) has got the highest Tk 154.99 billion worth of allocation in the recently approved Annual ADP for the next FY2027.
In the revised ADP for the current FY2026, the government allocated Tk 100.12 billion funds for the project.
The highest-ever infrastructure project-the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, which is scheduled to be completed by June 2028, has received 154.99 billion funds-Tk 146.88 billion from Russia as the project aid and Tk 8.11 billion from government's internal resources.
The Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project Line--5 (northern route) has received the second-highest allocation amounting to Tk 73.50 billion, while another Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project Line-1 has got Tk 39.10 billion allocation in the next fiscal ADP.
Both the MRT projects have received large chunks of fund for the next FY2027 as the new administration wants to restart the construction of the stalled-line.
Another ongoing Dhaka MRT-6 line project has also received a higher amount of fund in the next development budget than that of last year.
Under the next ADP, the MRT-6 project has got Tk 18.99 billion funds compared to Tk 10.23 billion in the current ADP as the project is going to compete in the next fiscal.
The Matarbari Port Development Project, involving an estimated cost of Tk 243.81 billion, is set to receive Tk 48.39 billion in the FY2027 ADP, which is four times higher than that of the current year's allocation of Tk 10.78 billion.
On the other hand, the Tk 180.69-billion Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway project has also received a lower amount of fund in the next ADP.
The government has allocated Tk 13.98 billion worth of funds in the next ADP for the project compared to that of Tk 44.76 billion in the current ADP.
Another ongoing Tk 49.07-billion Support to Dhaka Elevated Expressway project from Airport to Kutubkhali (Dhaka-Chittagong Highway) has got higher amount of fund worth Tk 1.66 billion in the next FY2027 ADP against current year's Tk 565.45 million outlay.
Under the Bangladesh Railway, the Tk 107.97-billion Chittagong-Dohazari Dual Gauge Railway Conversion Project has received Tk 10.55 billion worth of funds in the next ADP compared to Tk 48.6 million in the current ADP.
The government recently approved another Padma Barrage project worth Tk 3.0 trillion ADP for the next FY2027.
Although the project is yet to get any allocation for the next year's ADP, the Planning Commission (PC) would allocate funds for the same from the block allocations for starting Bangladesh's long-awaited water conservation scheme, said a senior PC official.
He also said since the stalled-MRTs are set to begin next year after a long implementation challenge, their allocations have been increased.
Besides, some projects like the RNPP and elevated expressways are expected to be completed in the next fiscal, the PC official added.
The government has already approved a Tk 3.0 trillion ADP for the upcoming FY'27, keeping fund allocations for 1,150 projects, including the nine mega ones.
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