DHAKA, Jan 24, 2024 (BSS) - Stressing again on timely and proper
implementation of development projects including foreign aided projects,
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asserted that implementation of the
development projects could not be delayed by any means while those should be
implemented properly in due time.

To ensure proper implementation of the foreign aided projects, the premier
also formed a committee, headed by her Principal Secretary, to review the
progress of the foreign aided development projects in every two months and
thus identify and address the barriers and obstacles of such projects towards
ensuring smooth implementation and timely disbursement of foreign funds.

The Prime Minister gave the directive while chairing the 3rd meeting of the
Bangladesh Planning Commission after a gap of nine years held at the NEC
conference room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. The premier presided
over the meeting as its chairperson.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Division Senior Secretary
Satyajit Karmakar said that Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities
concerned to properly spend the fund of the aided projects to ensure their
smooth disbursement.

"We won't become dependent on others. We shall focus on properly utilizing
the amount coming from the development partners against projects either in
the form of loans or grants," Satyajit said quoting the premier as saying.

He informed that the committee, headed by the principal secretary to the
Prime Minister, would meet at least every two months and thus review the
progress of the foreign funded projects, identify the problems and barriers
and thus address those at both the government end and the development
partners' end.

Planning Minister Major General (retd) Abdus Salam said that the meeting
discussed about forming a project evaluation or scrutiny committee comprising
all the members of the Planning Commission instead of the lone existing
Planning Commission member from the Programming Division.

The Prime Minister was apprised that such practice would expedite the process
of project selection and scrutiny.

Planning Division senior secretary said that the Prime Minister suggested for
not taking less important projects, rather taking projects with higher
priority and importance as well as those projects which would ensure more
returns.

Highlighting some of the directives from the premier in the meeting, the
Planning Minister said that the premier put emphasis on conducting properly
the feasibility study before undertaking a project. Otherwise, the project
will be stalled while there will be cost and time overrun.

Salam said the meeting also discussed about forming an expertise panel or
pool comprising project directors. He said that the respective sectors
require project directors having expertise and for this, on the job training
would be provided to them. Besides, it was also discussed that deserving
project directors having expertise in concerned sectors could be recalled if
necessary even after their retirements.

He said during the nearly three-hour long meeting, they discussed about
taking more government-funded projects as those experience less complexities.

On the other hand, Salam said the Prime Minister gave directives for properly
implementing the foreign funded projects as per the concerned agreements.

Replying to a question, Satyajit said the Bangladesh Planning Commission has
been restructured and it would provide overall guidance on the economic
policies and strategies apart from the regular operations of the NEC and
ECNEC.

He told another questioner that the meeting discussed about the overall
public investment scenario of the government as it has expedited the growth.

The Planning Division senior secretary informed that the public investment
ratio to GDP stood at 7.6 percent in FY23 which was 5.5 percent in 2011.

He said the government has increased such public investment gradually adding
that the Prime Minister has asked all concerned to increase the trend of
public investment after taking into cognizance the global context and the
country's macroeconomic stability.

When asked whether there is any chance to stop funding of the aided projects
by any development partner, the Planning Minister ruled out the possibility
saying, "If anyone does such thing, then we won't sit idle. An elected
government is now in place in the country and no one would be able to make
any influence or over influence on us. The development partners aren't giving
us loans without any interest, rather they will get interests alongside the
principal amount. Both the development partners and the government want to
implement the projects in a proper way."

Salam said that the meeting also discussed whether the development projects
are aligned with the 8th Five Year Plan. Besides, work is underway to frame
the 9th Five Year Plan, he added.

The Planning Minister said the Prime Minister at the outset of the meeting
highlighted her relentless efforts to materialize the ideals of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He said the premier in the meeting mentioned that the last general election
was held in a free and fair manner despite the adversities in the initial
stage.