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State Minister for Planning Md Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki has said the government plans to expand metro rail services in Dhaka and its surrounding areas as well as other major cities to meet growing demand for modern public transport.
“More metro lines are needed in Dhaka, and more metro lines have to be built around Dhaka and further expanded to other big cities of the country,” he told journalists at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Wednesday after an ECNEC meeting.
ECNEC Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Planning Division Secretary SM Shakil Akhter was also present at the briefing.
Saki said Bangladesh should now develop its own institutional and technical capacity for metro rail construction after gaining practical experience from operating its first metro rail system.
“We have built a metro rail line, trains are running and people are enjoying its benefits. Now we need to develop the capacity to participate in different components of metro rail construction,” he said.
He said technology transfer would be an important consideration in future projects to gradually reduce the country’s dependence on foreign expertise.
On the cost of MRT Line-5 Southern Route, Saki said variations among metro rail projects were due to differences in scope, underground construction, detailed design, financing conditions, exchange rates, inflation and taxes.
He said the Planning Commission had scrutinised the project’s initial proposal and substantially reduced its estimated cost before placing it before ECNEC. A technical committee also examined the cost and financing issues.
Rejecting claims that a consultancy firm had already been appointed at a high cost, Saki said no consultancy contract had yet been awarded.
“The project has only been approved. After approval, the project appointment process will take place, then tender documents will be prepared and subsequently the vendor will be appointed,” he said.
He said claims of excessive consultancy expenditure could not be accepted without a formal notification of award or a contract showing that a particular firm had received the work.
Regarding the rise in JICA financing costs, Saki said delays in taking decisions on Japan-funded projects had affected financing terms. The interest rate, earlier considered at around 0.7 per cent, had risen to about 3.05 per cent, he said, warning that JICA could revise the rate again if agreements remained pending.
“The government has negotiated as much as possible in the national interest,” he said.
Saki ruled out international pressure behind placing the projects before ECNEC, saying all proposals had gone through the Planning Commission’s prescribed scrutiny process.
He also acknowledged that the costs of some ongoing metro rail projects had risen sharply, partly because initial feasibility studies were based on preliminary estimates while detailed designs later identified additional requirements and changes in scope.
Deeper underground stations, additional structures and other design changes could substantially increase project costs, he said.
The government is reviewing the project preparation process to prevent such cost escalation, Saki said.
“Project preparation has to be redesigned, and we have to close the gaps that create opportunities for wastage and corruption,” he said.
He said the government was working to amend project implementation guidelines and strengthen scrutiny of feasibility studies, detailed designs and cost estimates before major projects are approved.
On consultancy expenses, Saki said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed government agencies with adequate technical capacity to undertake relevant work instead of allocating separate consultancy funds.
The government is also reviewing meeting allowances and other project-related expenditures to reduce unnecessary costs, he said.
On concerns over the quality and safety of existing metro rail infrastructure, Saki said steps had already been taken to examine reported technical problems.
“If any weakness has resulted from negligence, dereliction of duty or corruption, accountability will be ensured,” he said, adding that future metro rail contracts would put greater emphasis on quality, maintenance and safety.
For underground sections, project arrangements would require responsible entities to address any damage to structures above tunnels, including repairs and compensation where applicable.
Saki also said the government would prioritise renewable energy, including solar power, in public infrastructure projects wherever feasible.
He said the broader objective was to ensure that public investment generated long-term benefits through improved mobility, reduced travel time, higher productivity and better value for money.
