The government has spent only 2% of its ADP (annual development programme) in the first month of the new financial year.
The figure is one percentage point lower compared to the same period a year earlier when it was 3%.
Poor development expenditure in July was traditionally attributed to the preparatory work by the different ministries and divisions, analysts say.
But this year additional causes, including recent heavy downpour across the country and dealing with big projects like Padma Bridge construction, is behind the sharpest fall in expenditure, they viewed.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal earlier said it is normal to see lower ADP implementation in the first month of a new fiscal year, as ministries remain busy taking preparation for starting the development work during the period.
Traditionally in the country, the implementation of ADP remains sluggish in the first month due mainly to delay in fund release and appointment of project staff and land acquisition. But it becomes faster with the final months of a fiscal year approaches, making room for wastage of public money, according to officials and experts.
Out of the total ADP outlay of Tk 80,315 crore for the current fiscal year, 55 different ministries and divisions spent only Tk1,847 crore in July, according to data of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).
The actual ADP size, however, was Tk80,315 crore without own financing of the corporations and autonomous bodies.
Of the total July spending, Tk1,458 crore or 3% was spent from government exchequer and Tk389 crore or 1% from foreign loans and grants, the IMED data showed.
Civil aviation and tourism ministry spent the highest amount of 30% from its allocation, followed by finance division with 13% and fisheries and livestock ministry with 11%.
Only 15 ministries and divisions spent 2% or more of their respective allocations and 30 ministries and divisions like railway, health, water resources, science and technology, education, primary and mass education ministry, and roads division, failed to spend even 1% of their total allocation for the new financial year, data showed.
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies research director Zaid Bakht said delay in fund release, preparatory work like appointment of project staff and land acquisition in the beginning of the fiscal year were behind the reason of slow progress in ADP implementation.
But this year delay in dealing with mega projects like Padma Bridge Construction is the additional cause for poor development expenditure, he said.