Two contrasting stories published in these pages highlight the starkly uneven reality of rural development in Bangladesh.
In Khulna’s Dakope upazila, the completion of the 661-metre Bhadra Bridge has finally connected seven isolated unions, ending decades of precarious ferry dependence for about 350,000 residents.
Meanwhile, in Tangail’s Bhuapur upazila, 10,000 citizens across seven villages along the Louhajang River still rely on a single, risky boat, waiting for a basic bridge that, 50 years later, is yet to be built.
These two narratives illustrate, above all else, a persistent flaw in our national planning.
While high-profile megaprojects absorb political capital and public attention, true equitable growth must be measured by last-mile connectivity.
A simple river crossing fundamentally transforms rural life: It allows, among others, children to reach schools safely, ensures critically ill patients access emergency healthcare without delay, and provides farmers direct access to bigger markets.
For marginalized communities, the lack of basic infrastructure is nothing if not a systemic failure that deprives them of fundamental socio-economic opportunities.
With that said, we must also contend with the sobering, familiar issue of exceeding costs and timelines for our infrastructure projects.
Originally tendered in 2016 for Tk 37.43 crore with a targeted completion date of early 2018, the Bhadra Bridge suffered multiple contractor defaults, administrative delays, and repeated timeline extensions. That the project ultimately dragged on for eight years and cost Tk 50.75 crore reflects an administration that is incompetent and unable to meet deadlines and budgets.
This culture of routine delay, fiscal inflation, and lax procurement oversight has plagued our public works sector for far too long. Inflated budgets and missed deadlines waste taxpayer money and delay vital public services, and we must have better discipline as a nation. That is non-negotiable.
Delivering infrastructure to the last mile is essential, but doing so on time and strictly within budget must become the standard for public governance.
