Government clears massive road repair plan as local polls draw closer

Questions are mounting over whether the government’s Tk 49.63 billion road project is aimed at giving its party candidates a boost ahead of local government elections.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the Rural Roads Rehabilitation and Strengthening Project on Wednesday.

Planning State Minister Zonayed Saki, however, said there was “no connection” between the project and the local polls.

The approval came as the government considers starting the elections in phases from September or October, after the monsoon.

The project, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Planning Commission in Agargaon, covers 5,223km of rural roads across all 495 Upazilas in 64 districts. 

It also includes rehabilitation of 7,000m of bridges and culverts and is scheduled for completion by June 2030.

Saki said many roads had gone without maintenance for years, leaving people to suffer. He said roads were prioritised after reviewing requests from elected representatives.

“This is essentially maintenance or repair. It should be called repair rather than maintenance,” he said, adding that Tarique had also stressed the need to include future maintenance.

Of 98,232km of paved rural roads nationwide, 31,434km are currently damaged, according to the project background.

Other Projects Approved

ECNEC also approved nine other projects, including reconstruction of unusable Dhaka Medical College facilities at Tk 11.54 billion and a Tk 13.11 billion infrastructure project for Ramu Cantonment.

The meeting also unveiled a five-year strategic framework for reform and development, replacing the traditional five-year plan until June 2031.