The metro rail service in Dhaka is set to commence operations within the next seven days, said Dr Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan, the adviser to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges in the interim government.
"Directives have been issued to ensure cost-cutting measures are implemented," he said in response to a query from journalists on Sunday (18 August).
He warned that the practice of single-source procurement, which has been prevalent in the past, would no longer be tolerated.
Additionally, he emphasised that tenders will not be awarded based on familiar faces, marking a significant shift in the government's approach to public procurement.
Addressing the ongoing traffic congestion issues in Dhaka, the adviser asserted that vehicles would no longer be permitted to stop arbitrarily on the city’s main thoroughfares.
Furthermore, he highlighted the need to dispel the long-standing criticism that Bangladesh has the highest road construction costs in the world.
He assured that contracts would not be monopolised by a single contractor, and that only those who perform well would be awarded future projects.
