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Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud on Wednesday said he has instructed the secretary of the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) under the Ministry of Planning to visit the Matarbari Road project site to investigate allegations of corruption and irregularities.
Speaking to reporters after the regular meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the NEC conference room, Mahmud referred to recent media reports that highlighted unusually high costs associated with the construction of a road in the Matarbari area—reportedly the most expensive in the country’s history on a per-kilometre basis, UNB reports.
Defending the cost, he explained that much of the road passes through uneven terrain, requiring the construction of numerous bridges and culverts.
“More than half of the road comprises bridges and culverts, which naturally increased the cost. So, the expense is not as excessive as it might seem,” he said.
He added that a high-powered committee will soon be formed to oversee the project and ensure proper monitoring.
The planning adviser also mentioned that an audit of the Matarbari power plant project, which cost Tk 6,571 crore, remains incomplete as the former project director is absconding.
“We are unable to get necessary answers because the project director is on the run,” he said.
Mahmud further noted that although the Matarbari power plant has a generation capacity of 1,200 MW, the Power Development Board (PDB) is currently drawing only 185 MW from it.
“It’s unfortunate that the plant’s full capacity is not being utilised,” he said, adding that coal needs to be imported twice a week to keep the plant operational. He also revealed that low-quality coal imported from Indonesia has been sent to Bangkok for testing, but those responsible have yet to share the results.
In a related development, the government has already formed a committee to investigate possible irregularities in the construction of embankments in the Sunamganj and Satkhira regions.
The 27.2-kilometre Matarbari link road, designed to connect the under-construction deep seaport in Maheshkhali with Cox’s Bazar, has drawn national attention due to its staggering cost of Tk 12,942 crore. That translates to approximately Tk 4.76 billion per kilometre, making it the most expensive road project in Bangladesh’s history.
Primarily funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project features a two-lane road for most of its length, a four-lane segment near the port, 14 bridges, 45 culverts, and a railway overpass.
Originally slated for completion by 2026, the project deadline has now been pushed to 2029 due to delays and escalating costs.
According to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the high cost is largely due to challenging soil conditions in the coastal region and the stringent construction standards imposed by Japanese consultants and contractors.
While the Matarbari link road is considered a crucial infrastructure project intended to boost cargo handling and ease pressure on the Chattogram Port, its rising cost and delays have sparked public concern over governance and financial oversight in major national development efforts.