The current interim government has formed a task force to evaluate the effectiveness of mega projects undertaken during the previous Awami League government. Recently, the task force completed its evaluation and submitted a report. The task force primarily focused on four projects: Mawa Expressway, Padma Rail Link, Karnaphuli Tunnel, and the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Railway. However, the debt burden incurred for these projects is having an adverse impact on the country’s economy.

The committee stated that weak planning, improper utilization, and lack of integration with existing infrastructure have resulted in these projects not being profitable.

Dhaka-Mawa Expressway

This 55-kilometer expressway, built at a cost of approximately 200 crore BDT per kilometer, has increased traffic congestion in Dhaka city. Instead of decentralizing development, the expressway has intensified pressure on the capital. Due to a lack of industrialization in the southern districts, Dhaka’s dependency has not decreased.

Moreover, the absence of a ring road around the city causes traffic congestion at the entry points of expressways, reducing their effectiveness. Additionally, lack of proper safety measures, violations of traffic laws, and frequent road accidents have become regular occurrences on this expressway.

Padma Rail Link

Built at a cost of approximately 39,000 crore BDT, this railway line was designed to reduce travel time between Jessore and Dhaka. However, due to a shortage of trains, lack of coordination with existing roads, and insufficient stations, the project has yet to become profitable. The revenue generated is less than half of the expected amount.

Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Railway Line

Constructed with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a cost of 18,000 crore BDT, this railway line has not yielded expected benefits due to a shortage of trains and opposition from bus owners. As a result, the route has not seen an adequate number of train operations, failing to ease the transportation struggles of Cox’s Bazar-bound tourists. Additionally, this railway line has contributed to severe flooding in the surrounding areas over the past few years.

Karnaphuli Tunnel

This 10,000 crore BDT tunnel was built to improve connectivity between the southern part of Chattogram and the rest of the city. However, due to a lack of connection with existing infrastructure and poor-quality roads on the southern end, the tunnel has not become profitable. Instead, the government has to provide a daily subsidy of approximately 25 lakh BDT to keep it operational.

The Jamuna Railway Bridge, constructed over the Jamuna River in Sirajganj, marks the beginning of a new era in rail connectivity for the northern and western regions of the country.

Until now, trains traveled over the Jamuna Bridge at a speed of around 20 km/h, taking 25 to 30 minutes to cross. Additionally, the single-track line often caused delays, as trains had to wait at either the Jamuna East or Jamuna West stations for other trains to pass. This waiting time could extend up to 30–45 minutes, causing significant disruptions for trains traveling to and from the northern and western regions. With the inauguration of the new railway bridge, these problems will be resolved.

Trains on the new bridge will be able to travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h, allowing them to cross in just 5–6 minutes. Moreover, as the bridge features double tracks, no train will need to wait for others to pass.

Built at a cost of 16,000 crore BDT, the project received 12,000 crore BDT in loans from JICA. Once this new railway line is operational, trains will no longer need to use the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge, freeing it from rail traffic. Consequently, the existing railway lines on the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge can be removed, increasing the number of lanes or expanding the width of the lanes for vehicles. This enhancement will boost the bridge’s vehicular capacity significantly.

In summary, this railway bridge is poised to play a vital role in the economic development of Northern Bangladesh and the nation as a whole.

Is Eastern Refinery’s Oil Refining Capacity Sufficient for the Country

Currently, Bangladesh’s annual demand for liquid fuel stands at approximately 7 million metric tonnes. The country’s only state-owned crude oil refinery, Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), can refine 1.5 million metric tonnes of crude oil per year. For the remaining refined oil, the country relies on imports, which places significant pressure on the economy. Eastern Refinery refines crude oil imported from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, producing petrol, diesel, naphtha, jet fuel, and bitumen.

If the country’s oil refining capacity can be increased, it would alleviate economic pressure. To achieve this, plans have been initiated to construct Eastern Refinery-2, with a capacity of 3 million metric tonnes. However, even after its establishment, the country will continue to depend on imports.

A recent study revealed that refining crude oil domestically instead of purchasing refined oil could save approximately 9 to 10 dollars per barrel, which could be a significant boon for the national economy