The implementation of the country's Annual Development Plan (ADP) has decelerated, with only 17.97% completed from July to December of the current fiscal year, a significant drop from the 22.48% achieved in the same period last year.
This marks the lowest ADP implementation rate for this timeframe in the past five years, as reported by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the Ministry of Planning.
In comparison, the ADP implementation rate stood at 23.53% during the same period in the 2022-23 fiscal year, 24.06% in 2021-22, and 23.89% in 2020-21.
Experts attribute the slowdown to the mass uprising at the beginning of the fiscal year, which precipitated a change in government in August, a subsequent decline in law and order, and administrative reshuffling.
Data from the Monitoring and Evaluation Division indicates that approximately Tk500 billion was spent from July to December of the current fiscal year, down from Tk617.39 billion in the same period last year.
Despite this, there was a resurgence in ADP implementation in December, with Tk157.87 billion spent, accounting for 5.67% of the ADP, compared to 5.42% (Tk148.82 billion) in December of the previous fiscal year.
The preceding Awami League government had approved a budget allocating Tk782.88 billion for the ADP.
However, the interim government, after assuming power, prioritised restructuring the development programmes, resulting in reduced funding for several projects initiated by the former government and subsequently slowing down the progress of ongoing projects.
Traditionally, ADP spending is low at the fiscal year's outset.
However, this year’s figures have seen an additional dip due to the political upheaval.
At a recent Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting, Planning Adviser Wahiuddin Mahmud suggested that project implementation would increase in the latter half of the fiscal year.
He revealed that Tk440 billion had been spent until December of the current fiscal year, compared to Tk620 billion in the same period last year.
Wahiduddin Mahmud also indicated that several new projects were underway while older ones were being reviewed and, in some cases, paused for corrections.
