THE government has failed to complete the most-propagated mega projects, such as Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Dhaka Elevated Expressway, multi-lane tunnel under the River Karnaphuli, Mass Rapid Transit and Bus Rapid Transit lines, Padma Rail Link, Rail track from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar and many other development projects in the stipulated timeframe. Lingering the projects has increased cost and sufferings of people. The government was forced to enact the Road Transport Act 2018 after unprecedented youth protests demanding road safety but the country’s roads continue to be unsafe. There has been no improvement in train service though a separate Railways Ministry was created. The ruling party promised to give special emphasis on developing Railway communication between the capital and the rest of Bangladesh as well as with the neighbouring countries. Another unfulfilled pledge is the failure to build a circular railway around the capital. Bangladesh Railway increased passenger fares and freight charges twice since October 2012, though it incurs losses every year.
It also failed to improve navigability of inland waterways which was an election pledge in 2008. The government claims its success for taking mega projects involving millions of money but the incomplete nature of the projects, meaning cost overrun and capital shortage, can bring no help for people, except to waste the national exchequer. To shine up the government’s blurred face due to the non-existence of democracy and rights, the mega projects were taken to ensure that the people would enjoy the output of development, but the infrastructural development activities are neither development in theory nor in practice.
What’s disturbing is that the mega projects are for mega corruption and that is why expenses on the projects are going high and high. It is also a bureaucratic trick to deceive of about increased GDP. The cost of mega projects is increasing manifold for helping the corrupt ones. In fact, corruption is everywhere. These corrupts must be brought to book for the sake of real development of the country.
