Govt shifts to programme-based development model: Zonayed Saki

The government is moving away from standalone development projects toward a programme-based development model, Planning State Minister Zonayed Saki has said, in a shift aimed at reducing duplication and improving efficiency in public spending.

Under the new approach, multiple related projects will be grouped under a single programme. For example, power generation plants, transmission lines and distribution networks will be implemented under one integrated programme to minimise overlap and ensure more efficient use of resources, he said.

Saki made the remarks yesterday (7 June) while briefing journalists at his office in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. He said the government's objective is to build a development framework that leaves no scope for corruption, waste or excessive spending, while ensuring "value for money," return on investment, job creation and environmental sustainability in every project.

The state minister said many past projects were approved without proper planning and successive five-year plans often failed to function as effective guiding documents. To address this, the government has prepared a "Five-Year Strategic Framework (July 2026–June 2031)," which will come into effect from 1 July and function as a "living document" subject to periodic revision and updating based on evolving needs.

He also highlighted reforms in project management, noting that officials holding multiple or additional charge of project director (PD) roles often create implementation bottlenecks. The government is therefore prioritising skilled, dedicated PDs and plans to appoint full-time project directors from the outset of projects to ensure continuity and accountability.

Saki said priority sectors for future development include education, health, employment, social protection, investment and energy security. He added that efforts are underway to simplify regulatory procedures and introduce a "single-window" system to promote investment and reduce unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.

He said project extensions often translate into increased costs and, in many cases, inefficiency. The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) has therefore been tasked with investigating the causes of cost and time overruns. Projects with physical progress below 30% are being reviewed, and unnecessary ones may be cancelled.

Saki said the government has begun broad reforms in project management to move away from delays, waste and cost escalation. More than 2,400 ongoing and new projects are being reviewed and realigned with national priorities, electoral commitments and practical needs.

On data governance, he said the government does not want information to be manipulated or influenced by political considerations. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is being restructured into a more independent, science-based and technology-driven institution. Initiatives have begun to introduce real-time data collection, automation and forensic review of past datasets