Participants in a seminar on Saturday noted that infrastructure is deeply connected to reducing production costs, which directly impacts Bangladesh's position in the global market.
They also said that roads, railway, airports, ports, energy systems, and communication networks must be capable of meeting the demands of a growing economy and be prepared to fulfill future needs. However, they opined that infrastructure is not merely a physical framework, it builds a stable foundation where investment is encouraged, costs can be minimized, and the quality of life is improved.
They made all these remarks at a seminar titled "Harmonizing Reform and Sustainable Infrastructure Development for a Prosperous Bangladesh," at a local Hotel, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB). Adviser of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the Ministry of Railways, and the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Mohammad Fauzul Kabir Khan attended as the Chief Guest.
Meanwhile, the speakers urged the interim government to adopt people-oriented development projects by eliminating corruption and irregularities as the previous government had taken some of the mega projects without any proper feasibility study like Karnaphuli Tunnel or Padma rail link projects.
Professor Department of Economics, Director, Economic Research Platform Dr AKM Atiqur Rahman presented the keynote paper, while General Secretary of BSRF Masudul Hoque moderated the seminar. Foshi Uddin Mahtab, President BSRF presided over the programme.
In his keynote, Dr AKM Atiqur said a system should be developed to conduct feasibility study with professionals and no upper tier interference to bias the study. He highlighted some points and suggested for reforms. The points are feasibility study would have to more objective, it was seen some tendency to inflate benefit and underestimate cost of projects, which turned into attractive in Bangladesh.
Taking part in the discussion, Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan has said, "We have not ascended to power, we assumed the responsibility," he noted saying "so every project should be considered based on people's interest not for the vested group," he said.
Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said the interim government is responsible to martyred and injured students and people of July uprising not to any vested group.
"The interim government has destroyed the infrastructures connected to corruption, we have started the institutional reform works aimed to prevent corruption and ensuring transparency and accountability in all sectors including the Power and Energy sector," Fouzul Kabir Khan said.
The adviser said the previous government implemented various projects for the interest of their nexus like vested group, relatives and individual, they grabbed huge amount of money from those big projects.
Pointing out the government's plan to increase use of renewable energy, the adviser said the ongoing activities under the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act 2010 (Amended 2021) were suspended along with the government power to fix electricity and gas prices under the Section 34 Ka of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Amendment) Act 2023.
The seminar included participation from Md Sardar Shahadat Ali, Director General of Bangladesh Railway; Ke Changliang, Chief Adviser of the Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB); Dr Md Shamsul Haque, Professor of Civil Engineering, BUET; Dr Sharmind Neelormi, Professor of Economics, Jahangirnagar University; Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD); Mr Mehedi H Iman, Environmental Specialist; Ms Umama Fatema, Coordinator, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, University of Dhaka; and Md Mahin Sarkar, Coordinator, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, University of Dhaka.
"There will be zero tolerance for corruption, and only projects that benefit the people will be taken," the adviser said. The adviser said efforts are underway to combat corruption and align development with the needs of the people.
He said public expectations from the government are extremely high. "Many believe that we have magic wands in our hands, in reality, we have nothing -there's no money in the banks. Politicians look forward to coming to power, and we too wish to return to our work."
The adviser acknowledged public frustration regarding corruption in the electricity and energy sectors, as well as rising gas and electricity prices.
The adviser said the government has a plan to excavate 50 exploration wells by 2025, adding, "Henceforth all purchases in the energy sector will be through open tender method rather than through any negotiation."
Dr Sharmind Neelormi, Professor of Economics, Jahangirnagar University said the policy makers always focus on urban infrastructure development, we did not see any place in any of our plans that discussed the rural infrastructure development although that represent the mass.
