Rajbari, Aug 08 (V7N) – Prime Minister's Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir has said slow implementation of development projects is one of the biggest obstacles to restoring the economy and putting Bangladesh back on a path toward sustainable growth.
He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a views-exchange meeting with government officials at the district and Sadar Upazila levels at the Rajbari Deputy Commissioner's conference room on Friday (August 7).
The adviser said the sluggish implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) has become a major challenge in restructuring the country's development system and recovering from the situation inherited from the previous government.
He said the government is taking special measures to address institutional weaknesses that have affected the adoption, implementation and evaluation of development projects.
According to Titumir, meetings have already been held in Dhaka with secretaries and heads of various government departments to identify obstacles and explore ways to bring project implementation rates closer to 100 percent.
He said achieving this target would require directives and structural reforms at the central level, alongside measures to accelerate project implementation at the union, upazila and district levels.
The adviser also emphasized the importance of aligning development projects with the actual needs of local communities. He said arrangements would be made to facilitate faster implementation of public-interest projects based on local representatives' understanding of the needs of their constituencies.
He stressed that the rights and needs of citizens must receive the highest priority when development projects are prepared, with government officials and elected local representatives working together in coordination.
The adviser said improving project implementation efficiency at every administrative level would be crucial to accelerating development and strengthening the country's economic recovery.
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