The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Planning has unanimously decided to investigate the implementation of the Karnaphuli Tunnel project and the reasons behind its financial losses.
The decision was taken at the committee’s second meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Saturday, chaired by committee chairman and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapon.
The committee discussed the tunnel’s feasibility study, implementation process and financial losses. It decided to examine the issues in detail at its next meeting and seek co-operation from all relevant parties to ensure a thorough investigation, according to a press release issued by the Parliament Secretariat.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation status of 1,153 ongoing projects under the Ministry of Planning and examined why the completion deadlines of 256 projects were extended in the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The ministry identified several factors behind the extensions, including land acquisition complications, dependence on imports, difficulties in appointing project directors, inadequate feasibility studies, delays in fund disbursement and conflicts between ministries.
The committee recommended effective measures to address the delays and accelerate project implementation.
The ministry informed the committee that it was preparing a new policy for appointing project directors, expressing hope that it would help resolve longstanding problems in the appointment process.
The meeting also discussed regional disparities in project implementation and measures to ensure equitable development of rural infrastructure.
On staffing, the committee was informed that recruitment of 65 officers and employees across various grades was nearing completion against 221 vacant posts at the Ministry of Planning.
The committee chairman directed the ministry to assess staffing requirements strategically and complete recruitment on a priority basis according to workload.
The committee also approved the minutes of its previous meeting, subject to amendments.
State Minister for Planning Md Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki and lawmakers Kazi Rafiqul Islam, Moinul Islam Khan, Md Saiful Alam and Md Rashedul Islam Rashed attended the meeting.
Planning Commission members, secretaries of the Planning Division and the Statistics and Informatics Division, senior officials of departments and agencies under the ministry and officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat were also present.
