Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has directed the Planning Commission (PC) to review all ongoing development projects to assess their relevance to the BNP's election manifesto.
Signalling a potential shift in priorities under the new administration, he also instructed officials to prioritise projects that deliver measurable output and tangible benefits to people's lives, according to officials familiar with the meeting.
Mr Khosru and State Minister Zonayed Saki on Sunday met Planning Commission members, the Planning Secretary, IMED Secretary, General Economics Division (GED) Secretary, as well as joint and additional secretaries at the Commission.
According to several senior officials present, the minister emphasised four key criteria to be considered before approving any project: output, value for money, employment generation and environmental impact.
He said that as Bangladesh aims to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, balanced development is essential. Existing projects must, therefore, be reviewed to ensure that the economy remains on a stable trajectory, he added.
At present, the government is implementing around 1,350 projects under a Tk 2.38 trillion Revised Annual Development Programme (RADP) for the current fiscal year (FY) 2025-26.
Mr Khosru urged officials not to undertake projects where intended beneficiaries would be unable to realise their objectives. Projects, he said, must generate clear outcomes and meaningful impacts for users.
The minister sought the support of government officials in implementing the BNP's election manifesto, which envisions transforming Bangladesh into a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2034.
However, he did not outline any specific position regarding ongoing mega projects or future plans for large-scale development initiatives.
Several major schemes, including MRT-1, MRT-5 (North) and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, have slowed amid strict scrutiny by the interim government against the backdrop of a fragile macroeconomic situation.
An additional secretary at the Planning Commission said one of the Commission's members had drawn the minister's attention to the mega projects during the meeting, but he did not offer any comments on the matter.
Mr Khosru also did not elaborate on any broader development strategy, particularly as the 8th Five-Year Plan (FYP) remains suspended.
Following the July uprising, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus suspended the 8th FYP in August 2024. Since then, no comprehensive development framework has formally been in place.
The previous government under Sheikh Hasina had prepared the 8th FYP for implementation from FY2020 to FY2025.
Meanwhile, State Minister Zonayed Saki told officials that as Bangladesh follows a planned economic model, development projects should remain aligned with an overarching structure.
He added that the government wants to ensure greater transparency and accountability among officials in the selection and execution of projects.