Govt mandates public feedback for project planning

In a major reform move, the government has mandated for the first time that all development project proposals must be formulated with public input to maximise benefits and minimise personal or group interests.

The planning ministry issued a circular on Wednesday to all ministries and divisions, marking a major shift towards participatory governance that integrates citizens' voices into decision-making processes.

According to the circular, before preparing a project proposal, the relevant ministries and divisions must publish key project information on their websites and allow two weeks for the public to give feedback online.

The feedback must be collected before sending the project proposal to the Planning Commission for approval.

To facilitate public feedback, the website must include essential project information, such as feasibility studies, project background, rationale, financial and economic outcomes, environmental and social impacts, risk assessments, and, where relevant, green and climate resilience indicators.

Abul Kashem Md Mohiuddin, secretary of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the planning ministry, told TBS, "Projects are meant for people, so gathering input from beneficiaries before starting is crucial. Many projects have failed to deliver benefits, resulting in wasted funds. This initiative will be a positive step."

After taking office, Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud told reporters on several occasions that many projects initiated by the previous Awami League government were driven by political considerations and catered to contractors or specific groups, with little public involvement.

He announced an amendment to a 2022 circular issued by the ministry, governing the formulation of development projects to prevent such waste and corruption.

The planning ministry issued the circular on 12 June 2022, regarding the preparation, processing, approval, and revision of public sector development projects.

The latest initiative for soliciting public opinion in the matter of planning and implementing projects will be added to that circular.

This is the first time that public opinion has been sought in the formulation of development project proposals.

The Advisory Council in a meeting today also discussed the matter and instructed the relevant authorities to consider community needs before initiating projects.

They highlighted issues, such as whether people want the project, how they want it, and how much their interests will be met if the project is implemented, according to sources familiar with the meeting minutes.

Will it be feasible?

While the idea is intriguing, concerns remain about its implementation, as many people, particularly in rural areas, may not be tech-savvy enough and could struggle to provide feedback online, according to experts.

A senior Planning Commission official, requesting not to be named, told TBS that it remains to be seen whether rural populations can effectively provide input through the ministry or department's website.

"In such cases, ministry officials concerned should visit project areas to gather feedback from local residents, as well as hold meetings with deputy commissioners, local politicians and businessmen," he said.

Former Planning Division secretary Mamun-Al-Rashid told TBS that this is a commendable initiative. However, based on past experience, public engagement on websites tends to be low, especially when feedback on legislation or policy is sought.

"If people actively visit the website and participate, that's excellent," he said.

Mamun said several factors should be considered to make the initiative successful, such as the number of participants, the time frame for feedback and the need for well-formed questions.

"For example: Is the project necessary for your area? What should be the estimated cost? Around eight to ten such questions should be provided to people," he suggested.

He added that, if implemented, this initiative could help bring about transparency and reduce the number of unnecessary projects, particularly those initiated in individual or group interests.

According to the noted economist and researcher Zaid Bakht, "Engaging the public in development projects is a positive step. However, if feedback isn't gathered effectively, it won't reflect genuine public opinion. Therefore, the process of collecting public input needs to be well-executed.

"For scientifically accurate feedback, questions must be crafted carefully. It's essential to gather opinions at the local level, while also providing an opportunity for input at the national level.