Padma Bridge fund cut proposed

The Bridges Division has sought Tk 10 billion lower funds than its allocation in the current development budget for the Padma Bridge project following less utilisation, officials say.

It has sought Tk 24.99 billion in the upcoming revised annual development programme (RADP) instead of the current allocation of Tk35 billion for failing to complete the targeted works in time, they said Tuesday.

After the revised allocation for the current fiscal year (FY) 2021-22, Tk 42.41 billion of the total Tk301.93 billion project cost for the bridge will remain unspent in the terminal fiscal year (FY2023), the deadline for completing the megaproject.

Despite lower fund requirement, authorities are still optimistic about inauguration of the bridge for public in June this year.

The project director echoes the optimism about the government goal of inaugurating the bridge before the end of this fiscal year, come what may.

Officials say the Bridges Division has sought Tk 10 billion lower funds than its allocation in the current year's development budget, raising scepticism about timely completion of the final-phase works.

Padma Bridge Project Director (PD) Md. Shafiqul Islam told the FE Tuesday that attuned with the government promises they were also hopeful about inauguration of the dream bridge over the mighty river Padma in June this year.

The Bridges Division recently sent its lower annual fund demand to the Planning Commission (PC) for the upcoming RADP.

The PC is working to recast the Tk 2.37-trillion ADP as the ministries and divisions have performed below par in the first half (H1) of the current fiscal year.

A government official involved with the project told the FE that the Bridges Division has proposed a cut in the fund allocation in the upcoming RADP as it could not spend the allocation for the Padma Bridge construction during this fiscal.

"The division usually demands higher funds in ADP and surrenders the allocations at the fag-end of fiscal years," he says.

Meanwhile, he adds, many projects of some ministries and public agencies are struggling with lower fund allocations as they sought higher money during the preparation of the ADP for the current FY2022 but got lower.

A senior PC official says this is regrettable that the powerful ministries usually take in the development budget much higher allocations against some projects than their capacity to spend.

"After some months, they surrender a good portion of their allocation failing to execute the projects in time. This practice should be checked," he adds.

According to government officials, the Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA) under the Bridges Division has sought a pared-down Tk 57.23 billion outlay in the RADP, 42-per cent lower than its original Tk 97.97-billion allocations in the current ADP.

The Division is seen as one of the worst performers in project implementation among all big ministries and divisions as it has executed only 16.68 per cent of its projects under the ADP during H1 of the current FY.

The project-implementation rate is 6.32-percentage-point lower than the average project implementation rate of 24 per cent by the public ministries and divisions under the current annual development recipe.

Contacted, Project Director Md Shafiqul Islam said: "Our minister (Obaidul Quader) today (Tuesday) reiterated that the bridge will be opened in June for public. So, our mission on the project is same."

They are trying their best to make all ready for opening the bridge in time.

"It doesn't matter whether the annual fund is surrendered or not. But matter is we are working to inaugurate the bridge," says Mr Islam.

When asked about the lower fund demands than the earmarked amount for the current development budget and the remaining fund-spending plan next year, the PD said: "I cannot tell you details at this moment. But we are trying to open the bridge as per the government schedule."

Another PC official says the Bridges Division over the last few years also had its funds slashed in the RADP.

"Since the BBA has failed to spend target allocations for the Padma Bridge-construction project during H1 of this fiscal, our overall allocation is needed to be downsized," says a senior Bridges Division official.

The BBA vowed to complete the construction works of the country's longest multipurpose bridge by June this FY2022.

The Bridges Division is currently implanting six super-major investment projects, including the Padma Bridge, Karnaphuli Tunnel, support to Dhaka elevated expressway, and Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway.

It is the 8th-largest development-budget holder among all the ministries and divisions as it obtained 4.19 per cent of the Tk 2.37-trillion ADP outlay for implementing its projects.

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