Graft behind slow implementation of development projects: Minister

Local Government and Rural Development Minister Tazul Islam today blamed corruption for the slow and weak implementation of development projects.

The minister was addressing the opening ceremony of a programme titled "The faster project implementation week" organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the capital. 

He mentioned that the country had not been run democratically for many years since its independence, and this had created mismatches in many sectors.

In the absence of good governance, he added, many people tried to "hunt extra money", and did not consider the interests of the people.

Speaking at the event, ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Manmohan Parkash called for expediting the implementation of ongoing projects, and for finalising the preparation of projects waiting to be implemented with funding from the lending agency.

He further said the that ADB is willing to finance several projects in Bangladesh at a cost of about $5 billion.

Parkash said Bangladesh is the ADB's second largest portfolio that includes 54 ongoing projects of over $10 billion.

"It is very important that the projects are completed on time, within cost and with proper quality," he added.

Describing many ADB initiatives to accelerate the speed of projects, the country director said that in 2017 the lending agency adopted a new procurement framework, which is a paradigm shift.

Speaking as the chief guest, LGRD Minister Tazul Islam further said that the government intends to declare a budget of around Tk 6 lakh crore for the next fiscal year, up from more than Tk 5 lakh crore in the current fiscal year.

With this in mind, the minister emphasised the need to not only increase the size of the budget, but also to ensure that development projects are properly utilised.

He said Bangladesh has made considerable progress in the power and energy sector, and now requires development in transportation, connectivity and several other areas, where the ADB has a good scope to invest.

Farida Nasreen, additional secretary to the Economic Relations Division, in her opening remark, emphasised the necessity of preparing upcoming projects not within time, but before the time.