We are pleased to see the approval of 14 development projects worth Tk13,445 crore by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council -- a gesture that signals both ambition and urgency.
Spanning infrastructure, healthcare, transport, and local government services, these initiatives have the potential to address long-standing gaps in public service delivery and economic resilience.
However, approval is merely the beginning; the execution stage is the real stage, where Bangladesh’s development story, too often, falters.
Interestingly, the approved list reveals a familiar pattern: Multiple revised projects and several granted time extensions. In fact, some projects have reportedly had their timelines extended repeatedly, prompting the formation of a committee to examine the causes.
This alone should be cause for caution. Delays inflate costs, erode public trust, and diminish the very benefits these projects are meant to deliver.
The financial structure also demands scrutiny. With over Tk5,300 crore coming from loans, inefficiency will not merely waste resources -- it is bound to compound future fiscal pressure.
Cost overruns, a chronic issue in public projects, can effectively turn development into a liability rather than an investment.
What is needed now is a decisive shift in project governance.
Feasibility studies must be carried out rigorously. Procurement processes must be transparent and protected from political or bureaucratic interference.
Most importantly, timelines must be treated as binding commitments -- something we have historically failed at upholding far too many times.
Equally pressing in this regard will be ensuring accountability: Every revision, extension, and cost escalation should warrant immediate review mechanisms. Without consequences for inefficiency, delays will continue to be normalized.
Bangladesh does not lack vision when it comes to development. What it does consistently struggle with, however, is discipline in implementation.
If these newly approved projects are to work, the focus must move towards outcomes -- on time, within budget, and without compromise.