How much more money will the public lose due to lack of foresight

A new city named PurbaChal is being developed by acquiring 6,150 acres of land in Rupganj of Narayanganj and Kaliganj of Gazipur, right next to Dhaka. Plans for PurbaChal include the construction of 26,000 plots, 62,000 apartments, a modern stadium, playgrounds, educational institutions, hospitals, and tall iconic towers. The PurbaChal New Town Project, initiated in 1995, has yet to become fully habitable even after almost 30 years. However, the Jalshiri housing project taken in 2010 in Rupganj next to Purbachal has already become busy. Primarily constructed for military personnel housing, this project has already gained recognition as one of Dhaka's most planned and livable residential areas. Side by side, the juxtaposition of these two residential projects forms a small picture in the overall landscape of Bangladesh.

The government-initiated housing project has yet to become habitable even after 30 years. In contrast, the Jolshiri Abashon Project, managed by non-governmental initiatives and the military, was almost completed in half the time.

To ensure seamless connectivity with PurbaChal, a road is constructed from Kuril to Kanchan. This road, known as the 300 Feet Road, garners widespread recognition. This new road, along with the developing residential areas of PurbaChal, becomes a new destination to enjoy for the people of Dhaka to explore. With vast expanses of green open spaces, extensive lakes, and an amalgamation of nature, PurbaChal emerges as a new breathing space for the people of Dhaka. However, even before people could start living in PurbaChal, the 300 Feet Road became congested on holidays, resulting in traffic jams. Consequently, before its utilization began, the 300 Feet Road was abandoned. Now, in its place, a modern expressway with 14 lanes has been built. Despite being officially named "Sheikh Hasina Sarani" on paper, ordinary people still refer to it as the 300 Feet Road, although it is no longer 300 feet wide.

Going on Sheikh Hasina Sarani makes someone feel good. It doesn't feel like Bangladesh anymore. But seeing this glitter makes me sad. Before it even started, the abandoned 300 Feet Road, and the millions wasted on building the new Sheikh Hasina Sarani, who knows the cost? I just regret that those who planned PurbaChal, who built the 300 Feet Road, didn't look ahead. Couldn't they understand that if PurbaChal was fully operational, keeping it running with a 300 Feet Road would be impossible? Those involved in such planning surely have graduated from various domestic and international universities. So, why wouldn't they have enough foresight? Why wouldn't they anticipate the situation 50 or 100 years down the line in their planning?

It's not just PurbaChal or the 300 Feet Road; the lack of foresight and planning is becoming evident in various aspects of our lives. The work on the Dhaka to Gazipur BRT project has been ongoing for years. Due to this project, the people of Gazipur have been enduring endless suffering. When will this project end, and when will people reap its benefits? Nobody knows yet! Examples of projects that finish within the stipulated time and budget are scarce in Bangladesh. It seems astonishing to me too. First, a project begins with a certain time frame and budget. Then, as time progresses, the duration extends, and expenses increase exponentially. Why can't our engineers ever accurately determine the expenditure and timeframe for a project?

Our economy has advanced significantly. However, our economic competence hasn't reached a level where we can avoid wastage of money without proper planning. What's more concerning is, why should we waste money even if we have it? The Prime Minister repeatedly emphasizes that before initiating any project, consideration should be given to how much it will benefit the people. However, in most cases, the people's interests are not taken into account. The profit of contractors and the commissions of engineers often become the primary considerations in projects. There are numerous examples of medical equipment being purchased for hospitals that remain unused year after year. These purchases aren't made with the people's interests in mind but rather to benefit the contractors' businesses. Pictures of various bridges are often printed in newspapers, but there are no roads on either side. This indicates that these bridges or culverts were built just to favor certain contractors and to allocate funds. None of these bridges have ever served any purpose for the people.

In Bangladesh, government institutions often seem like white elephants. Despite the demand, year after year, they incur losses. However, when it comes to purchasing plane tickets, individuals cannot afford them. Instead, they have to bear the cost of increased fares every year. The British established Bangladesh's railway network. Globally recognized as one of the most comfortable and affordable transportation systems, the railway is in high demand in Bangladesh as well. However, when it comes to buying tickets, they are often unavailable. But the railways have to count the losses year after year. The current government has given special importance to the railway. A separate ministry has been established for the railway. However, everyone knows the story of the black cat of the railway.

However, the most significant example of shortsightedness and lack of planning can be Bangladesh Railway. Despite having the most extensive network, assets, and demand for railways across the country, it turns out to be the most lucrative institution. But reality paints a different picture. The latest incident of shortsightedness and lack of planning can be exemplified by the construction of another meter-gauge railway line along the 61-kilometer stretch from Tongi in Gazipur to Bhairab in Kishoreganj in 2016. This section was upgraded from a single-line to a double-line meter-gauge section. The project incurred a cost of Tk 2,216 crore. Similarly, another meter-gauge track was constructed alongside the existing one from Laksham in Comilla to Chinki Astana, covering a distance of 64 kilometers. This project cost nearly Tk 2,000 crore.

All in all, a new railway track of 125 kilometers is being constructed at a cost of Tk 4,000 crore. This will facilitate faster movement along the Dhaka-Chattogram rail route. However, the decision has been made by the railway authorities to dismantle the 125-kilometer meter-gauge railway track at a cost of Tk 4,000 crore within just 8 years. The railway administration argues that the existing meter-gauge track is being dismantled to convert it into a broad-gauge track. Communication experts argue that wastage of funds is occurring due to this decision. However, the railway authorities claim that the conversion from meter-gauge to broad-gauge is being done for the sake of development. But how can such development be justified when it burdens the people economically? What kind of planners are those who cannot foresee the future implications of a decision that will only be evident in just 8 years? I agree, the conversion from meter-gauge to broad-gauge is necessary for the development of the railway. But those who couldn't foresee this necessity just 8 years ago, should they not be held accountable? Should there not be any consequences or penalties for them?

In Bangladesh, there's a common perception that government resources are wasted. It means, government funds can be used as one pleases without being held accountable. No one is required to answer for it, and there are no penalties for anyone. The most talented individuals often seek government jobs, but when they start working, they fail to deliver on their potential. It makes me wonder how these incompetent and short-sighted individuals manage to secure government jobs and continue to hold them year after year. Imagine, within 8 years, is it possible to undertake a project worth 4000 crore taka in a non-governmental organization! Even if such a thing were possible, there would undoubtedly be consequences, including job terminations and penalties. As long as we fail to treat government funds as our own, this wastage will persist. And this is how government funds end up being squandered.

Author: Columnist and Head of News, ATN News