It is encouraging that the government has prioritised the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in its revised Annual Development Plan. The project has received the highest allocation for a single project in the revised ADP, as the government wants to make it operational as quickly as possible. After Rooppur, the Matarbari coal-fired power plant project has received the second-highest allocation. Three other Jica-funded projects on Dhaka's transport system—MRT-6, MRT-1, and MRT-5—have also received large allocations in the revised ADP. However, the allocations for most other projects have been cut as their implementation have been slow or hampered due to political unrest in the country.

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Mega corruption in megaprojects

The timely completion of the Rooppur and Matarbari projects is crucial to meeting the country's growing energy demands. According to the original project proposal for Rooppur, Unit-1 of the power plant was supposed to go into operation in December 2022, Unit-2 in October 2023, and the entire project was scheduled for completion by December 31, 2025. However, implementation has been delayed for several reasons—with the government now wanting to complete it by December 2027. Reportedly, the total cost of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project is Tk 1,14,225 crore, with the majority financed by Russia. As of June last year, around Tk 75,000 crore had been spent from the total cost. In the revised ADP for FY25, the government approved Tk 2,16,000 crore for the project. Five other projects related to the electricity line, high-frequency telecommunications system, and water supply for the power plant also received an increased allocation.

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A sinkhole of corruption

The government must ensure that the funds are spent transparently, without corruption or irregularities. During the previous regime, excessive amounts were spent on purchasing furniture and other items for the officials and employees of the project, and the salaries fixed for them were also unusually high. We hope that such irregularities will not be repeated and that those involved in misconduct will be brought to book. This will set a precedent in a country where development projects are often mired in corruption.

Additionally, the government must ensure that this and other megaprojects do not cause any harm to the environment. Many of the country's megaprojects were undertaken by the previous government without conducting proper feasibility studies or obtaining the necessary environmental clearances. Going forward, we must move away from such poor practices. Finally, implementing these projects within the stipulated time and budget is crucial to preventing the misuse and waste of public funds.