New act to expand BBA\'s area of operation

The proposed Bangladesh Bridges Authority Act, which is expected to be enacted during the current parliament session, would bring new-generation mega-infrastructures like tunnel, expressway etc., under the purview of the Bangladesh Bridges Authority.
The proposed law aims at expanding scope of the BBA encompassing construction of tunnel, expressway and such other new-generation infrastructures apart from smaller bridges of 1.5-kilometre length, officials said.
However, the proposed act is expected to take away BBA's powers to spend its profit as an autonomous body. The BBA is among few government agencies that earn profit, according to its annual balance sheet.
The Authority's earning comes mainly from tolls collected from the users of two big bridges - the Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge in Muktarpur and the Bangabandhu multipurpose bridge across the Jamuna River.
The BBA has been functioning under the BBA Act 2009 which was, however, a transformation of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority Ordinance 1985.
Though the BBA tried to incorporate the rule into the draft later on through holding meetings with the Finance Ministry, the cabinet approved the draft of BBA Act 2015 with the provision okayed by the Law Ministry.
"The BBA is still trying to keep the financial rights and hopes to have discussion on the issue during the parliament session," said one official, preferring not to be quoted by name.
He said due to the financial rights, the BBA completes feasibility study or consultancy work more promptly than other agencies do from its own funds.
The Authority has now over US$7.0 billion worth of projects, feasibility study and detailed design works of most of which were done from its own funds with approval by a special committee.
Headed by the Bridge Division secretary, the authorization committee comprises members from the Planning Commission, the Finance Ministry and the IMED.
The projects under the BBA include the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Dhaka Elevated Expressway, Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway, Karnaphuli Tunnel, Bus Rapid Transit projects and the like.
Sources said the BBA Act 2015 is likely to be sent to the parliament next week as the Bridge Division has already got the President's consent on the law in the making involving monetary matters.
At present, Roads and Highways Department does construction of small bridges below 1.5 kms and the BBA over 1.5 kms as per the BBA Act (amendment) 2009.
However, the Bridges Authority was allowed to plan, construct and operate elevated expressways, tunnels etc after the government made a move to improve the road infrastructure throughout the country.
As the government has now plans to widen the countrywide physical infrastructure, the new BBA Act 2015 also provides it the authority to construct ring roads.
However, Finance Ministry sources said the new provision incorporated into the draft law is a reflection of government's new rule to seek extra funds remaining with any agencies to transfer to the government exchequer.
They said the Finance Ministry, if necessary, can now seek full or half of the unused funds with any agency to be transferred to government fund in any fiscal year.
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