Japan-funded projects facing blow for lack of consultants

A number of Japanese-funded projects in the country are experiencing setback, as many Japanese consultants are still uncertain about joining their work over Japanese consultants despite Bangladesh government's repeated assurance in this regard.
Many Japanese companies are also refraining from participating in new tenders of different infrastructure development projects here, official sources said.
They said as the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka has not yet withdrawn security alert for its nationals working in the country following the Holey Artisan carnage on July 2, the Japanese consultants have refrained from joining their work. Some consultants, however, are working in a limited scale from their working areas or residences.
Talking with officials of different project offices, the FE correspondent found progress of most of the JICA-funded projects is slow. The project offices cannot start work in full swing due to unavailability of the consultants.
Fate of the feasibility study on metro rail-1 and 5 has become totally uncertain, as no consultant joined the project work since the Holy Artisan attack.
Almost all the seven Japanese killed in the attack were consultants of the project, and the only Japanese survivor was its team leader.
Officials of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development (DMRTD) Project said the Japanese consultants in their project are working by staying in their working areas, and the project office is holding all meetings there.
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