Consultation with ministries begins to finalise detailed PPP policies

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Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Sheikh Wahiduzzaman (middle) speaking at the consultation launching programme of PPP (public-private partnership) Office at a city hotel Thursday. ADB Specialist J Grant Hauber (left) and PPP Office

FE Report
The authorities have started consultation with the ministries to finalise the detailed policies and process of public-private partnership (PPP) to secure desired private investments to make Bangladesh a middle-income nation by 2012.
The move of the PPP Office comes to improve the country's existing investment-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio to the expected level to achieve the target by the deadline announced by the current Awami League-led government in its election manifesto back in 2009.
"The consultation process has begun with 21 focal points (ministries) initially and it will continue over the next six weeks," Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PPP Office Syed Afsor H Uddin said after the launching programme at a city hotel on Thursday.
He said they have given them a package of information for their review and suggestion and will incorporate their feedback into final documentation suitable for formal adoption.
"We've launched the process with public sector initially and will do the same with private sector later to finalise a formal document," he said.
The CEO of the office said there are 60 countries all over the globe engaged in PPP programme and they have been successfully implementing such projects.
The PPP Office has already identified eight pilot projects under different ministries, including health, tourism, information technology, housing and communications.
The projects are establishment of Haemodialysis Centre and International Standard Hotel Tourism Facilities, Kaliakoir Hi-tech Park, Mirpur Low Cost Housing Project, Hemayetpur-Singair-Aricha road, Jatrabari-Sultana Kamal Bridge Project, and Construction of Grade Separator on Mirpur road (Palashi to Gabtoli).
Total capital value of the pilot schemes is estimated at over Tk 30 billion.
Presenting a PowerPoint presentation, ADB specialist J Grant Hauber said all the documents would be finalised by May. He also expressed his optimism that the PPP law would be enacted in parliament by the next fiscal.
The consultation proceeding is supported by Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Speaking as chief guest at the function, principal secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Sheikh Wahiduzzaman said PPP can be used as a key instrument for Bangladesh to improve its investments-GDP ratio, which is not good as expectation.
"The ratio is 24 per cent in Bangladesh. Twenty per cent comes from private sector and four per cent from public sector," he said, adding that the country needs 34 to 35 per cent investment if the nation wants to become a middle-income nation by 2021.
He said the country needs time to get the full benefit of PPP as infrastructure development cannot be done overnight. "So we should have patient and all the officials in the government should read out the documents carefully."
The PPP office has also installed a website (www.pppo.gov.bd), which will serve as the main clearinghouse for information on upcoming PPP project tenders and financing vehicles.