Bangladesh's St. Martin island cut off from mainland due to suspected shooting by Burmese criminals

COX BAZAAR – The government has proposed to reduce the budgetary allocation to the roads, railways and bridges sectors by around 9 percent in the next fiscal year.

Officials say this could delay the implementation of some ongoing projects as well as the execution of their expansion plans.

The allocation for the Department of Roads and Highways, which is responsible for a 22,476 km network of roads and bridges, has been reduced for the first time in five years.

Bangladesh Railway, which is still struggling to expand its service even after receiving huge investments over the past 16 years, will receive less allocation for the first time in four years.

Professor Hadiuzzaman, an independent transport expert, however, said the allocation to roads, railways and bridges remains “attractive”; and good use of allocation is key.

He said that although the allocation to these sectors has decreased, the allocation for maritime transport has increased by around Taka 1,000 crore, which is a positive signal towards building a balanced transport system and smart in the country.

“I think the current financial crisis is the main reason for the reduction in allocations in this priority sector,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.

As per the budget proposed on Thursday, RHD, BR and Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) will receive Tk 58,087 crore under the Annual Development Program (ADP), which is Tk 5,010 crore (8.62%) less than the allocation from the previous financial year.

RHD will receive Tk 32,042 crore in the financial year 2024-25, which is Tk 2,021 crore (5.93%) less than the outgoing fiscal year.

When contacted, Shoaib Ahmed, Acting Chief Engineer of RHD, said that it is true that they received less allocation than what they wanted, but it is still possible to get more allocation when the ADP is revised in the middle of the fiscal year.

A senior RHD engineer pointed out that a reduced allocation could negatively impact road improvement and bridge replacement projects, which would impact the transportation system as a whole.

Meanwhile, the budget proposed Tk 13,726 crore for BR in the next fiscal year, which was Tk 1,234 crore (8.25%) less than the previous fiscal year.

A senior BR official said the main works of several major projects, including Padma Bridge rail link, Khulna-Mongla rail line and Chattogram-Cox's Bazar rail line, would be completed in the current financial year.

But there are several projects that are currently in their initial stages that would require more funds for land acquisition, he explained.

He said that they had demanded more than Tk 8,000 crore from the local fund (government) for land acquisition of Sirajganj-Bogura railway line, Khulna-Darshan double line, Dheerashram ICD, but they did not 'got only Tk 4,354 crore.

As a result, the land acquisition process will be delayed, which will also delay the project, he added.

The budget proposed Tk7,309 crore for BBA, which was Tk1,755 crore (1,936 percent) less than the outgoing year.

When contacted, BBA Chief Engineer Quazi Muhammad Ferdous said, “We have received our expected allocation.”

Replying to a question, he said two major projects – Padma Bridge and Bangabandhu Tunnel – will be completed in this outgoing financial year, leading to reduction in allocations.