Zero physical progress in 159 projects: IMED

Highlights:

• The 159 no-progress projects received Tk8,383.65cr allocations in FY25
• Some projects spent funds only on salaries and office expenses
• Zero progress projects declining from 211 in FY24 to 159 in FY25, but still persistent
• 1,011 projects achieved below 25% physical progress; 218 between 26–50%, 48 projects 51–75%
• 311 projects ended in FY25; 154 fully completed, others declared done despite incomplete implementation

Some 159 development projects showed no physical progress in the 2024-25 fiscal year (FY25), highlighting a persistent problem with project implementation, according to a report by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).

These projects received allocations of Tk8,383.65 crore in FY25. The report noted that some projects spent funds only on staff salaries and office expenses, with no progress on actual implementation.

The report, which includes public-interest projects in the power, health, transport, communication infrastructure, and agriculture sectors, was presented at a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Monday (12 January).

Earlier in FY24, the number of zero progress projects was 211, and in FY23, the number of such projects was 104.

According to the IMED report, in FY25, some 1,011 projects have had less than 25% physical progress, which is a disappointing outcome. Similarly, 218 projects show progress between 26% and 50%, while 48 projects made 51% to 75% progress, but their implementation is still unsatisfactory.

The report has identified some 311 projects that were ended in the last fiscal year. Of them, 154 projects completed 100 of % physical works, while the remaining projects were declared completed, leaving aside implementation.

The report has also categorised the 1,468 projects commissioned in the revised annual development programme (ADP) for FY25 on the basis of the implementing agencies' capacity to utilise the allocated funds.

As many as 23 projects of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) recorded no work or zero physical progress in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Notable zero progress projects

Notable projects on the zero-progress list include: Widening of the Bamandanga (Gaibandha)-Shathibari-Aftabganj (Dinajpur) Zilla Road; Laning of the Karnaphuli Tunnel Connection Road (Shikolbaha-Anowara Road), including the Anowara Upazila Quarter Link Road; Upgradation of the Sylhet-Tamabil Highway to four lanes; Improvement of the Cumilla (Mainamati)-Brahmanbaria (Dharkhar) National Highway as a four-lane highway; Sylhet-Charkhai-Sheola Highway Improvement Project; Widening and strengthening of the Madarganj-Jamthal Road; Construction of the Borobhanga Bridge at the 25th km of the Sylhet (Telikhal)-Sultanpur-Balaganj (Z-2013) Road; Construction of the Mirganj Bridge over the Arial Khan River at the 8th km of the Rahmatpur-Babuganj-Muladi-Hizla Highway; Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway Improvement Project; Improvement of connecting roads of Lakshmipur, Noakhali and Feni districts with the National Special Economic Zone to appropriate standards; and Land acquisition and utility shifting for upgrading the Bhanga-Jashore-Benapole Highway to four lanes.

As many as 11 projects of the Ministry of Social Welfare recorded no work or zero physical progress in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

These projects are: Unnayoner Mohashoroke Joyrothay Bayer Joyodhanni; Language Soldier Shaheed Salam Memorial Disability Service Centre and Community Hospital Construction, Daganbhuiyan; Improving the quality of life of poor, neglected and underprivileged communities, including persons with disabilities and widows, through self-employment enhancement activities in Kurigram and Nilphamari districts; Providing services to improve the quality of life of poor, disadvantaged, disabled and orphaned youth and young women; Safe Motherhood through Livelihood Improvement; Establishment of a 50-bed Halima-Najir Diabetic Hospital; In the context of the global pandemic, improving the quality of life of marginalised farmers, persons with disabilities, and underprivileged, widowed and abandoned women of Joypurhat district through income-generation programmes; Family welfare and poverty reduction through the creation of modern facilities and promotion of self-employment; Improving the quality of life through employment programmes for helpless and underprivileged people in Shibchar Upazila of Madaripur district; and Awareness and capacity-building development programme for tea-garden communities (Attho Unnyon).

According to the IMED report in the previous fiscal year, several key government agencies experienced zero physical progress in multiple projects. The University Grants Commission reported no advancement in six of its projects, while the National Housing Authority had nine projects with no progress. Similarly, the Local Government Engineering Department saw five of its projects stalled, and Bangladesh Railway recorded no movement in four projects.

Former planning secretary Md Mamun-Al-Rashid said, "The reason projects show no progress is that the urgent components or technical aspects of many projects are not clarified before they start. Agencies take on projects without any proper preparation, which leads to failure in executing work even at the project inception stage."

"Even if work does not progress year after year, the officials responsible for the projects are rarely held accountable. The planning ministry does not monitor effectively. As a result, the same problem persists every year. Even when funds are allocated, physical progress cannot be achieved," he said.

"Projects without progress affect the country's development spending and the efficiency of the economy in the long run. Moreover, delays in projects increase expenditures alongside the extended timelines, and it takes a long time to realise the intended benefits of the projects," Mamun added.

The IMED report said as many as 224 projects registered zero to below 25% spending against the revised annual development target last year, which has been termed "frustrating" by the monitoring and evaluation authorities.

According to the report, not a single penny was spent on 110 projects against an allocation of Tk2459.81 crore, while 134 others spent less than 25% of the revised ADP allocation of Tk11462 crore.

The reasons for the sluggish project spending noted by the IMED are typical: land acquisition issues, tender delay, lack of feasibility studies and planning, and project undertaking without any assurance of foreign funding.

The IMED report notes that of the total 1468 projects, spending on 138 projects hovers around 26%-50%. Some 199 projects have logged 51%-75% spending, while work on 106 clocked an "appreciable" 100% spending.