Habitual revision of projects must stop

We are alarmed to learn of the enormous cost citizens are having to pay for the habitual revision of ill-planned and ill-executed government projects. There is now a real image to be attached to this revising spree. According to a report by The Daily Star, if we put together all the additional allocations approved for revised projects in this fiscal year so far, it would be enough to fund the construction of two Padma Bridges (the bridge cost Tk 30,192 crore). That's until February 8, when the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved four project revisions, in addition to the 28 approved before, bringing the combined total of additional costs to Tk 59,919 crore. That's how much money being thrown down the drain simply because the government couldn't ensure timely and smooth implementation of its development projects. Let that sink in.

We have repeatedly expressed concerns about this habitual revision of projects, particularly the implementation procedures of the ministries involved that lead to frequent time and cost overruns. Even Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself expressed her dissatisfaction on several occasions, and gave clear directives to check this vicious cycle—including one that a project cannot be revised more than three times. But all warnings seem to be falling on deaf ears. 

While the reasons for revisions may vary from one project to another, there are some common factors like absence of proper feasibility studies, complexities in land acquisition, and lengthy procurement process, according to experts and officials. The presence of these bottlenecks and others causes problems at every stage of the implementation, sometimes even before a project gets underway. For example, as an expert said, it takes at least two years to pass the development project proposals (DPPs). Add to that delays in the bidding process. Due to the time taken to get the projects approved and started, the estimates based on which the proposals are prepared often become dated, necessitating additional funds. There can be unforeseeable challenges (like the outbreak of the pandemic) too, but most of the barriers faced are procedural. Throw corruption into the mix, and you have a problem that is not a problem for those profiting off it. 

We think without fixing how the public authorities go about planning and implementing their projects, and without ensuring greater accountability every step of the way, we cannot get rid of this revision culture. As well as the extra money that citizens have to pay for this every year, there is another cost that is often ignored—prolonged public suffering. Considering all this, the government must take this problem with the seriousness it deserves and take prudent measures to enhance the implementation capabilities of the ministries involved and punish those responsible for the costly delays.