The government will introduce digital tracking dashboards across all ministries, including the Prime Minister’s Office, to monitor the daily progress of development projects and take immediate action against officials responsible for delays, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Tuesday.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Budget 2026-27: Expectations and Reality”, organised by the Economic Reporters Forum.
The minister said the move is aimed at speeding up budget implementation and improving the execution of public projects.
“Allocation is not the issue. Our concern is how quickly we can implement it. After extensive review of why budgets are not implemented and where bottlenecks arise, we have developed this approach,” Khosru said.
He said the government has set four criteria for approving projects — value for money, return on investment, job creation and environmental impact.
The minister added that around 1,300 projects inherited from previous administrations are also being reviewed against these criteria. Projects that fail to qualify will be cancelled, while those for which substantial public funds have already been spent will be redesigned by changing their objectives.
The finance minister said restoring public confidence in the banking and financial sectors remains a key priority.
He noted that many banks are under-capitalised and that the private sector has also been weakened by factors including currency depreciation.
According to the minister, discussions had been held with several international institutions, including the International Finance Corporation, regarding the recapitalisation of banks and businesses. He said financial institutions, including JPMorgan, had expressed interest in supporting such efforts.
Khosru said confidence in the banking sector will improve once depositors are assured that they could withdraw their money whenever required.
He also reiterated that the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission will be reconstituted within the next two weeks through the appointment of a chairman and commissioners selected on the basis of professional expertise rather than political affiliation.
The minister described the preparation of the national budget as particularly challenging amid rising poverty, job losses, declining investment and lower imports of capital machinery.
He said the government is attempting to repair what he described as a fragile economy inherited from the previous two administrations.
Defending the size of the proposed budget, he argued that additional spending is necessary to revitalise economic activity, comparing the strategy to priming a tube well before water can be drawn.
The government is going to allocate Tk14,000 crore under the Family Card programme in the coming fiscal year to support vulnerable households and promote women's empowerment, he said.
The minister also highlighted the role of farmers in ensuring food security, noting that the government has begun Farmers' Card distribution to support the agricultural sector.
Khosru said Bangladeshis spend more out of pocket on health care than citizens of low-income nations like Afghanistan, underscoring the need for stronger primary health care services.
To improve access for lower-income groups, the government plans to implement a major primary health care initiative through private sector organisations and non-governmental organisations, he said.
The minister also announced budgetary support for the creative economy, saying the government would work with private sector entities and NGOs to develop skills, improve product quality and help businesses access international online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay.
The government intends to simplify regulatory procedures and reduce obstacles faced by businesses, the minister said.
He proposed a system under which all licences and approvals would be issued through a single point of contact within a specified timeframe. If a government office fails to respond within the stipulated period, approval will be deemed to have been granted automatically.
"No compromise. Even if 18 or 20 separate approvals are required, they must be provided through a single point and within a fixed timeframe," he said.
The minister added that regulations considered to be creating unnecessary barriers to business activity will be reviewed and removed.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
