The government's Annual Development Program (ADP) recorded its lowest implementation rate in over a decade, with only 24.27 per cent of the allocated funds utilized in the first eight months (July-February) of the 2024-25 fiscal year.
This marks the worst performance in 12 years, even falling below the ADP implementation rates observed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest data from the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), the ADP implementation rate for the same period of the previous fiscal year stood at 31.17 per cent, while it was 32.10 per cent in 2022-23.
Notably, during the peak of the pandemic in the 2020-21 fiscal year, the rate was still higher at 33.83 per cent.
IMED officials attribute the sluggish progress to changes in project priorities following the ouster of the Awami League government. The interim government has restructured the development agenda, reducing allocations for several ongoing projects initiated by the previous administration. As a result, many projects have been delayed, significantly reducing fund disbursements.
The total ADP allocation for FY25 is Tk 2,78,289 crore, with Tk 1,65,000 crore coming from the government’s own finances, Tk 1,00,000 crore from foreign loans and project aid, and Tk 13,289 crore from self-financing by various organisations.
Notably, the implementation rate for government financing is the lowest at 21.13 per cent, with only Tk 34,858 crore disbursed. Meanwhile, the foreign aid portion performed slightly better, with a 27.47 per cent implementation rate, amounting to Tk 27,471 crore. Self-financed projects saw the highest rate of implementation at 39.31 per cent, totaling Tk 5,224 crore.
The Ministry of Health, Education, and Family Welfare reported the lowest implementation rate, utilizing just 0.41 per cent of its allocated Tk 4,936.53 crore. The Bangladesh National Parliament Secretariat followed, using only 2.18 per cent of its Tk 1.25 crore allocation, while the Internal Resources Division implemented just 3.72 per cent of its Tk 754.50 crore budget.
In contrast, some ministries demonstrated more progress. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources led with an impressive 84.30 per cent implementation rate, utilizing Tk 3,762.48 crore of its Tk 4,463.10 crore allocation.
The Cabinet Division and the Statistics and Informatics Division also performed well, with implementation rates of 78.06 per cent and 72.85 per cent, respectively.
The IMED, responsible for tracking and evaluating ADP progress, achieved a commendable 45.56 per cent implementation rate.
Experts warn that the continued slow pace of ADP implementation could hamper the country's development goals and delay key infrastructure and social welfare projects. The government faces mounting pressure to expedite the disbursement of allocated funds to meet the fiscal year's targets.
Source: Daily Sun
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
