Spend every taka wisely Fakhrul tells officials
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday directed officials to place public welfare, accountability and long-term national priorities at the centre of development planning, stressing that every taka of government spending must produce tangible benefits for people.
The directive came during a review meeting at the Secretariat, where ongoing projects and proposed schemes under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the 2026-27 fiscal year were examined for the Local Government Division and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division.
State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki attended the meeting as the special guest.
Officials presented updates on ADP implementation for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years, outlining the progress of ongoing projects while identifying schemes that could be revised, restructured or merged to improve efficiency.
Addressing the meeting, Fakhrul said development planning should focus on public interest, transparency, efficiency and long-term national needs rather than projects designed for short-term visibility or popularity.
He said projects should be assessed by their impact on people’s lives instead of the amount of visible infrastructure they create.
“We must formulate development plans with a vision of where we want the country to stand in the next five, 10 or even 50 years,” he said.
The minister also called for more realistic project formulation, stronger scrutiny during the planning stage and greater emphasis on results-based evaluation.
He suggested revising, restructuring or merging projects with similar objectives where necessary to ensure better implementation and maximise the use of public resources.
Describing public money as the hard-earned earnings of citizens, Fakhrul said every taka should be spent efficiently, with strict attention to quality, cost-effectiveness, accountability and timely completion.
He noted that the Local Government Division has a critical role in expanding infrastructure, improving water supply and sanitation, strengthening local government institutions, promoting rural development, managing waste and generating employment.
Highlighting waste management as a major challenge, the minister said modern and sustainable projects are essential to build a cleaner and greener Bangladesh.
He also underscored the need for training and research to develop skilled human resources capable of promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship, while appreciating initiatives aimed at women’s development and economic empowerment.
State Minister Saki said development projects are being reviewed regularly to ensure they align with the government’s policy priorities, election manifesto and broader development agenda.
He proposed grouping projects into thematic clusters to strengthen integrated monitoring, evaluation and implementation.
The meeting reviewed both ongoing and unapproved projects under the Local Government Division and the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division included in the ADP for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Senior officials from the two divisions, the Planning Commission and other government agencies were present.
