DHAKA, April 4, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh’s development can be compared globally as its uplift schemes has touched world standard, a top official said today.
“To achieve the target of reaching a developed nation, the government has given top priority to effective utilization of public money through proper and timely implementation of various projects under its annual development program (ADP),” said Secretary in Charge of the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah.
He said the country’s growth would be more than 8 percent this year, adding its GDP growth rate is now higher than the global average of 2 to 3 percent.
The official said this at a workshop in Mymensingh organized by Central the Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) under Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAPPP) of the World Bank and facilitated by Bangladesh Center for Communication Program (BCCP), according to a press release.
CPTU Director General Md. Ali Noor and Additional Secretary of the IMED AHM Lokman spoke, among others, at the workshop held at the office of the deputy commissioner with Additional deputy magistrate of Mymensingh Samar Kanti Biswas in the chair. Khadija Bilkis, Senior Deputy Director of Bangladesh Center for Communication Program (BCCP) and Mohammed Salah Uddin, Deputy Director and Senior Assistant Secretary of CPTU, also spoke.
The IMED secretary said the country is advancing towards achieving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s goal for establishing a developed country by 2041.
“The country is graduating towards becoming a middle income one. It has already overcome one of the three criteria by reaching per capita to as high as over US$ 1,800. The country will fulfill other two criteria much ahead of 2024,” he said.
Putting emphasis on timely implementation of development projects, Faizullah said around 80 percent projects need time extension.
“We need to rectify this. If time is extended, cost also escalates. We need to ensure timely implementation. It is the duty of all who are at the field level,” he added.
He said the CPTU is working to bring transparency and accountability in procuring process and making project works sustainable. “Procurement guidelines need to be made simpler so everyone can understand.”