Good governance is often declared as a cornerstone of Bangladesh's development journey. Yet, beneath the gleaming mega-projects and ambitious budgets lies a troubling reality: weak institutions, corruption, and politicized decisions continue to obstruct development outcomes.
According to South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Thinking aloud, Volume 11, Issue 8), despite having a record Tk 2.65 trillion Annual Development Programme (ADP) for FY 2024-25, only 12% was spent in the first half of the fiscal year-mirroring a long-standing inefficiency where nearly 60% of spending is rushed in the final quarter.
The result? Delays, cost overruns, and underwhelming results.
The issue is not money but mismanagement. Between 2023 and 2025, Bangladesh's eight largest mega-projects saw combined cost overruns of 68%, rising from $11.2 billion to $18.6 billion. The government's own task force led by KAS Murshid, former director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies cited faulty feasibility studies, lack of planning, and rampant corruption as key reasons.
In the roads and highways sector alone, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed that 23-40% of project funds are lost to bribery and collusion. Shockingly, 70% of contracts go to just 15 politically connected firms, often via manipulated e-Government Procurement (e-GP) systems.
Such governance failures extend beyond concrete and steel.
In Barisal and Rajshahi, two newly built 100 bed and 50 bed hospitals remain empty-structures finished, but no doctors, nurses, or equipment allocated. The mismatch between infrastructure and service delivery is the clearest symptom of institutional failure. These are not isolated cases, but systemic outcomes of a governance model where political allegiance too often trumps merit and accountability.
Why does this persist? First, a "tripartite nexus" of politicians, bureaucrats, and contractors dominate project planning and execution. Mega-projects are conceived by ministers and political elites, feasibility studies are treated as formalities, and oversight institutions are kept toothless.
"In the roads and highways sector alone, Transparency International
Bangladesh (TIB) revealed that 23-40% of project funds are lost to
bribery and collusion. Shockingly, 70% of contracts go to just 15
politically connected firms, often via manipulated e-Government
Procurement (e-GP) systems"
The Anti-Corruption Commission lacks autonomy; audit bodies rarely bite. Second, bureaucratic inefficiency causes months-long delays in land acquisition, procurement, and disbursement.
Third, digital tools like e-GP are undercut by collusion and single bidding.
The consequences are profound. The World Bank estimates that corruption alone reduces Bangladesh's GDP growth by 2-3 percentage points annually. Roads cost 2-9 times more than regional norms.
The human cost is also staggering-students attend schools without books, patients visit empty clinics, and farmers wait for promised rural roads that were never built.
But there is a way forward.
First, strengthen institutions. Make the Anti-Corruption Commission independent and empower the Planning Commission to appraise and reject politically driven projects. Establish a conflict-of-interest law to keep politicians out of procurement.
Second, expand digital oversight. Use GPS-tagged photos, real-time dashboards, and citizen audit portals to track progress. Upgrade e-GP to detect collusion using data analytics and blacklist non-compliant contractors.
Third, engage citizens and civil society. Publicize all project documents, create accessible complaint mechanisms, and allow media and NGOs to monitor implementation without fear of reprisal. Bangladesh must also revise restrictive laws like the Digital Security Act to protect whistleblowers and investigative journalism.
Lastly, build bureaucratic capacity. Recruit and train civil servants on project design, risk management, and monitoring. Ensure that promotions are based on merit, not political connections.
Bangladesh's development story is at a crossroads. If governance is not fixed, money will keep flowing-but progress will stall. With political will and smart reforms, it is possible to turn the tide and build a system where every taka spent serves the people-not the powerful.
The writer is a student, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka
