Rooppur, Padma costs balloon PM sounds Alarm

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has highlighted alleged corruption and inflated spending in Bangladesh’s major infrastructure projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Karnaphuli Tunnel, and Padma Bridge, citing findings from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday during Police Week-2026, Tarique Rahman said audits reveal widespread misuse of public funds, with billions disappearing in paperwork alone.

“We received the country in a situation similar to a war-ravaged nation,” he said, adding that he was presenting facts, not making political accusations.

Tarique Rahman emphasised that he was presenting the findings not for political purposes, but as a matter of public record. “A few days ago, the Auditor General came to me. I am not presenting this politically; I am presenting the reality.

I am not blaming anyone politically. We are citizens of this country, and your children are growing up here, which is why I am raising these issues,” he said.

Referring to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the prime minister highlighted what he described as excessive spending on residential facilities for foreign personnel. “Fully furnished quarters were constructed for foreigners.

A pillow reportedly cost Tk80,000, and dressing tables shown as costing Tk4-5 lakh each were actually worth around Tk30,000-35,000,” he said.

Comparing the project with a similar one in a neighbouring country, he noted that while that project reportedly cost around Tk14,000 crore, the Rooppur project ultimately reached nearly Tk96,000 crore.

Tarique Rahman also pointed to alleged irregularities in the Karnaphuli Tunnel project, including the construction of unnecessary luxurious buildings and discrepancies in landscaping costs.

“The audit found that trees were supposed to be planted on both sides of the tunnel, but none were, despite Tk50 crore being withdrawn for this purpose,” he said.

The prime minister additionally mentioned concerns raised about stalled Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) projects in Pirojpur and Patuakhali districts.

According to him, audits suggest that Tk35,000 crore disappeared from the LGED Ministry without any work being completed, and Tk6,000 crore went missing in a single district across various departments.

Tarique Rahman said these findings were shared while responding to proposals from police officials regarding housing, transport, and IT facilities.

“You spoke about housing problems, transportation, and proposals for new IT units.

All these require funding. We want to address these problems because better facilities will help you provide better public service,” he said.

The prime minister warned that inflated project costs and loans have placed a financial burden on citizens.

“The debt taken for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project at four times the cost has now become a burden on every citizen, including those of you present here,” he said, drawing comparisons with infrastructure costs in neighbouring countries.

He cited India’s Bhupen Hazarika Bridge, completed at around Tk14,000–15,000 crore, while the Padma Bridge cost approximately Tk54,000–56,000 crore.

“Ultimately, the burden of these loans falls on 20 crore people. Had these unnecessary expenditures not occurred, we could have invested more in sectors like the police, Army, Air Force, Navy, education, and health. But this is the reality we now have to deal with,” he added.

Tarique Rahman delivered these remarks during a directive speech to police officials at the Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office, as part of Police Week-2026.