Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given stress on timely implementation of the ongoing development projects at a faster pace. She has also given directives to ministries, secretaries, and project directors concerned to complete the construction work of all development projects. She especially wants the timely completion of Padma Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, 1320-megawatt coal-fired power station at Rampal, Metro Rail, LNG Terminal and Payra Deep Sea Port.
If anyone intentionally tries to delay the development projects, extends implementation time, or increases construction cost, they will not be spared. She is determined to prove that she has been doing politics for the people of the country, as the worthy daughter of Bangabandhu.
PM has already adopted a zero tolerance policy towards corruption, irregularities, drugs, militancy, tender manipulation, hooliganism and all other sorts of immoral and illegal activities. With this end view, she has been working relentlessly to develop all the sectors of the country.
By this time, different foreign countries have highly acclaimed the ‘zero tolerance policy’ of Sheikh Hasina against any sorts of terrorism and religious extremism, describing Bangladesh as a role model for maintaining religious harmony. Based on the Prime Minister Office’s (PMO) director (6) Shamim Ahmed’s information, it was learned that the Prime Minister had also suggested not to provide any government construction work to those who delay construction and compromise the quality of work.
The Prime Minister issued the directives because of questions over speed and poor quality of the projects implemented by GK Shamim's company. In a letter sent from the PMO stated that those contractors who got multiple projects cannot keep up the quality and time of work, would not get any more work until their existing project was completed. Project directors need to be proactive about the quality of work and implement them within the stipulated time.
According to housing and public works ministry information, it was known that GK Shamim had construction work of Tk 5000 crore from the ministry. Of the 53 projects, work on 25 projects have not been implemented on time. Among them, there is zero progress of some of the projects.
Implementing, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Planning Commission also raised questions over the quality of the construction work. A few construction companies are getting various government projects from the Directorate of Roads and Highways, Ministry of Water Resources, Railways, and Local Government Departments. IMED questioned the construction work of these projects.
Planning Minister, MA Mannan said, “As per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directive, no company that is unable to meet the quality of work and complete within scheduled time, will be awarded with further construction work. Central Procurement Technical Unit deputy director, Mousumi Habib said, “We have received a letter from PMO. In the letter it was stated not to provide any work to those who neglected government projects”.
Padma Bridge Construction work on the country’s longest bridge started in December, 2015. The bridge will have 41 spans, each of 150m. A total of 2250metres of the Padma Bridge became visible as its 15th span was installed earlier.
Metro Rail Country’s first-ever metro rail project is running ahead of schedule and it is expected to be completed ahead of the stipulated time. The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed by this year. The 12-km Uttara-Agargaon portion of the project is scheduled to end by this year.
Payra Port The Payra Port Authority under the Ministry of Shipping will implement the project by December 2021. The main project objectives are to transport the import and export goods through big ships and marine vessels safely, upgrading the import and export goods at a desired level, reducing the transport and cost of doing business at a desired level and thus improving the position of Bangladesh in the port sector.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is becoming more visible with every passing day as its construction is progressing day by day keeping pace with time. The $12.65 billion mega project is being implemented by state-run Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, with financial, technical and technological support from Russia through its state atomic energy authority, Rosatom. It is high on the Bangladesh government’s agenda, all the way up to the Prime Minister’s Office.
