Execution of "fast-track" and megaprojects trails the tracks and implementers are surrendering much of available funds, allocated in the current budget, having missed timelines for works, officials said.
Delays in fund utilisation from their budgetary allocations prompted the authorities to forgo some Tk 50 billion from their total Tk 277.95-billion funds earmarked for 10 megaprojects, mostly fast-track ones, implementing agencies say.
The implementing agencies for MRT-6, MRT-1, MRT-5 (north), Karnaphuli Tunnel, Padma Railway link, Dhaka airport 3rd terminal, Bangabandhu railway bridge, Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway, Matarbari port development, and Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway couldn't complete their allocated works so far in the current fiscal year (FY) 2023-24.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), Civil Aviation Authority, Chittagong Port Authority and Bangladesh Railway recently requested the Planning Commission and Economic Relations Division (ERD) for cutting down their allocations both from government's internal resources and project aid provided from foreign development partners.
In the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the FY2024, the government, as per demand of the implementing agencies, allocated huge funds to facilitate country's infrastructure development and thus attract more private investments.
However, the project implementers in the middle of this fiscal proposed to give back their earmarked outlays for almost all the "fast-track" and megaprojects.
The DMTCL authorities have taken a u-turn from its three speedy MRT construction by refunding more than half of its funds in the current budget, officials said.
The state-run mass rapid transit company has sought 54-percent less funds than its current allocations in the development budget for constructing three MRTs, they said.
It has proposed surrendering Tk44.44 billion in the upcoming revised annual development programme (RADP), 54-percent lower than its Tk82.16-billion current allocations in the ADP, for the three MRT lines, they said.
Among the three MRTs, DMTCL has sought least funds for the ongoing MRT-1 and MRT-6 projects.
For the MRT-1, to be constructed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) to Kamalapur, DMTCL has proposed to surrender Tk 29.12 billion or 74.5 per cent from its current fiscal allocation of Tk39.10 billion.
It has also proposed to give up Tk 14.32 billion or 42 per cent from its current ADP allocation of Tk 34.25 billion for the MRT-6, being constructed from Uttara to Kamalapur via Motijheel.
For the MRT-5 (North), the DMTCL has sought 11.36-percent lesser funds to Tk7.80 billion from its original allocation of Tk 8.80 billion in the current ADP, officials said.
Earlier, the state-run company had pledged to complete the MRT-6 metro-rail project by June next year (2025) while the MRT-1 by 2026 and the MRT-5 North by 2028.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) has proposed to surrender 13 per cent of its annual allocated funds following failure in doing works in time on the Dhaka-Mawa-Padma Bridge-Bhanga-Jessore rail project.
It recently sought to cut its annual allocation to Tk 47.86 billion in the upcoming RADP from the current outlay of Tk 55.0 billion for FY2024 ADP.
Insiders say although the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga section is almost being completed, the Tk 392.47-billion Bhanga-Jessore section will take some more time to complete the entire project works.
Currently, BR is supposed to complete the Tk 392.47-billion Padma rail-link project by June this year.
The rail operators have also proposed funds to be trimmed down for two other megaprojects: the Tk 180.34-billion Dohazari-Cox's Bazar-Ramu railway and the Tk 167.81-billion-cost Bangabandhu rail- bridge project.
It has proposed to relinquish Tk 10.61 billion to Tk 27.176 billion for the current year RADP for the ongoing Bangabandhu rail-bridge project.
Currently, the government allocation is Tk 37.78 billion in the ADP for the railway bridge across the mighty river Jamuna meant for greater and faster connectivity for both passenger and cargo haulage from the vast north-and northwestern part of Bangladesh.
The state-run railway has also surrendered allocated funds by Tk1.87 billion in the RADP from the current Tk 14 billion in the ADP for the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar-Ramu railway project.
On its part, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAB) has proposed that the fund allocations be cut by Tk 3.80 billion for the Japanese-funded megaproject --Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) third terminal.
In the current ADP, the government has allocated Tk 54.98 billion, one of the highest for a single project.
Bangladesh Bridges Authority has proposed to trim allocation by Tk1.41 billion for the Dhaka-Ashulia elevated-expressway project. The government has allocated Tk 35.18 billion for the project in the original ADP for the current FY2024.
Besides, the BBA has surrendered its available funds by Tk 40 million to Tk 5.19 billion for the Karnaphuli tunnel project in Chittagong.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has surrendered its allocated funds by 74 per cent mainly from the Japanese available loan "failing to execute works in time", officials said.
Civil servants and project executors say the CPA has interestingly pared down its demand by Tk 21.12 billion to Tk 7.47 billion for the upcoming RADP for the current FY2024.
Out of its original allocation of Tk 28.59 billion, the Port Authority rescinded the highest amount of Tk 20.43 billion from the JICA-confirmed loans for the deep-sea port works. "It is unfortunate that the ministries, divisions and agencies had initially sought higher annual allocations against their ongoing projects, but, midway through, they have cut their demand amid the delays in project implementation," says a member of the Planning Commission.
"Now, we have been scrutinizing all the revised fund demands. The new demands will be reflected in the RADP," he told the FE.
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