The Ministry of Water Resources has taken a project of Tk 1,112 crore to protect river banks from erosion in 10 upazilas of Kishoregonj and one upazila of Habigonj district. (Bangladesh Water Development Board) BWDB's project will be fully funded by Bangladesh government. The project was scheduled to be started in February this year but was delayed due to the unanticipated pandemic and other reasons. The project has been reported to be completed in June 2024. The project includes a range of activities, such as protection of embankments, re-excavation and dredging aiming to combat river bank erosion.
However, the key project components aim to increase water flow capacity through dredging of 65.77 kilometres of river beds. This apart, it also aims at increasing crop production in 10,500 hectares of land by re-excavating 36.4 km of canals, besides developing drainage system and increasing irrigation facilities in dry season. Moreover, the Water Resources Ministry will build a total of 17.35 km embankments under the project at an estimated cost of Tk 3.31 lakh per metre.
Unquestionably, the project's estimated cost per metre is excessively high, and it is encouraging to note that the Planning Commission has questioned on the huge expenditure. According to the commission, Tk 3.31 lakh per metre is disproportionate and impractical. It has demanded that that the cost proposal be recast and made practical.
We are of the same view as well. Needs be mentioned, due to BWDB's poor and inefficient handling of different projects in the recent past, the question automatically arise about the new project too.
Even a layman would question the estimated cost of Tk 3.31 lakh for developing, re-excavating or building a river embankment of one metre of land or water.
In order to ensure transparency of the project, the Planning Commission has sought an explanation from the Water Resources Ministry - to justify on what basis the cost estimate has been made. The planning commission's demand is valid and the BWDB must explain the issue and re-evaluate the proposed cost in a convincing manner. Moreover, it is important to ensure transparency of operational activities and accountability of the related officials.
The budget estimate clearly smacks of corrupt intents. We demand the cost estimation to be re-examined and re-fixed not only by the Water Resources Ministry, but also by a third party panel consisting of sincere and reputable experts on the field.
Abnormally high project costs have become a common phenomenon in Bangladesh in the past decade. More than enough public money has been plundered under the sinister branding of 'Estimated project cost' or 'Cost projection'. Now is the time to put an end to it.
