The government will transform the Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Training Complex into Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development Academy (BAPARD).
The initiative will help to ensure the necessary modern training and research facilities to develop rural economy.
As part of the move, the government took a project titled, “Revision, Expansion, Renovation and Modernization of Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Training Complex (at present BAPARD), Kotalipara, Gopalganj” in 2010.
The aim of the project was to increase the human resource capacity in the public and private sectors.
The center at Kotalipara in Gopalganj was also expected to address regional socio-economic disparities with other parts of the country through practical research and training.
Although the project was for three years, it, however, could not be completed in 11 years. There is still some work left for the project.
However, those involved in the project are hoping that it will be possible to inaugurate it within the current Mujib Borsho – the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation, year.
According to the Planning Commission, the project to build Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Training Complex at Kotalipara in Gopalganj was approved with the aim of implementation between March 2010 and 2013.
As the work was not completed within the stipulated time, the term of the project was extended till June 2016 by 3 years through the first amendment, he said.
Later, through the Second Amendment, the project was extended for another two years till June 2018, he said adding that, the project till could not be completed.
Finally, through the Third Amendment, the project was extended for another three years till June this year, he mentioned. The estimated cost of the project was Tk 344.73 crore.
According to commission sources, a meeting of the steering committee of the project, chaired by Rural Development Secretary Rezaul Ahsan, was held on June 15.
Representatives of the Planning Commission's Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) also attended the meeting.
At the meeting the project officials said that the actual progress of the project is 97 percent and the cumulative progress is 98 percent.
They hoped that the project would be completed within the current Mujib Borsho and made suitable for the inauguration by the Prime Minister.
Sheikh Mohammad Monirul Khan, Director General of BAPARD, said that the main work of the project was completed in June.
The project has been revised repeatedly, he said adding that, several variations have been brought in the project at the implementation stage.
As a result, Development Project Proforma (DPP) has to be amended more than once, he mentioned.
Khan said due to these reasons, the implementation of the project has been delayed so much.
The main objective of the project is to ensure modern training and research facilities by transforming Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development Academy (BAPARD) into an international standard center for excellence in rural development and poverty alleviation.
The main works under the project included acquisition of about 30 acres of land, construction of 10-storey administrative building and 10-storey hostel building, construction of six-storey officers' quarters and six-storey staff quarters besides construction of agriculture and poultry sheds and fish hatcheries.