Md Shamsul Hoque, professor of civil engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), speaks with Monorom Polok of The star of the day on inefficiencies, corruption and other obstacles hampering development projects in the transport sector in Bangladesh.

Why are our development projects so expensive and time-consuming?

The main problem is the influence of a powerful union formed during the mandate of the previous government. This union is a well-organized network of beneficiaries who do not want to make the projects profitable because they benefit directly from inflated budgets. The bigger the project, the greater the hidden profits for them, making it easy for them to hide their gains. Directly or indirectly, they benefit from the fact that projects remain costly and inefficient.

This union does not want to listen to advice, whatever advice is offered to it, because reforming the system would threaten its profits. Even if the political leadership changes – for example if the BNP replaces the Awami League – only their political portfolio would change, meaning the same group of beneficiaries would continue to operate. This culture of profiting through inflated project costs is too entrenched to be dismantled easily.

What is your role within the new working group responsible for reframing development strategies, and what do you want to achieve?

On the committee, I focus on infrastructure, while most members bring expertise in economics. From my experience, I can say with certainty that if we do not dismantle or renovate this corrupt system, our development will continue to suffer in the long term. Given our large population and limited land, unplanned and inefficient infrastructure will only make the situation worse.

The situation is particularly worrying regarding the trend towards high-cost projects. We are setting world spending records, but corruption is hijacking our development process. Certain groups, both in government and the private sector, benefit from this and have no interest in changing the status quo.

Can you give specific examples of mismanagement in current development projects?

A key example is the way our transport sector is structured; Political leaders do not want the sector to be well organized because this would dry up their sources of extortion. The transport system could be streamlined, but this would reduce the illicit profits enjoyed by politicians and other influential figures.

Development projects also face many problems. Whether through purchases, contracts or other questionable transactions, substantial benefits accrue to a range of individuals, from politicians to ministers to ministry secretaries. Everyone is in it. They have created a narrative that the country is undergoing massive transformation, but the reality is that it is self-interest, not public interest, that is driving this transformation.

Take, for example, the Dhaka Metro system, specifically Metro 6 (from Motijheel to Uttara North). When the metro system was initially planned, it was intended to transform the city’s public transportation, but costs have since skyrocketed and the project is taking much longer than initially anticipated. Comparing our metro costs and schedules to similar projects in India and Indonesia, we are spending almost twice as much as in India and one and a half times as much as in Indonesia, with significantly slower completion times. longer.

Why has the cost of the metro project increased so drastically and what is the impact on people?

The metro project was supposed to provide the public with affordable and efficient transportation, but this is far from the reality. Costs are now so high that only the middle and upper classes can afford it, excluding the poor who most need affordable options. We should have developed a cost structure that guaranteed accessibility for all.

Look at cities like Kolkata and Jakarta, where metros were built at much lower costs and in less time. In Dhaka, we are over budget and behind schedule. When you borrow money in foreign currency for projects, you need to have a solid business model to effectively repay these loans, but it seems we have missed this crucial aspect.

The main problem is that the people who oversee these projects focus more on spending and purchases, which are opportunities to make money for them. They are not interested in providing effective services to the public. This inefficiency makes projects like Metro-6 far more expensive than necessary.

How to solve these problems? What reforms are needed to make future projects more effective?

Above all, we must dismantle the unions and shadow networks that profit from development projects. This requires political will and a fundamental restructuring of the way development projects are planned and executed.

We also need to start appointing experts with domain knowledge to lead these projects, rather than individuals with little knowledge of public transportation or modern infrastructure systems. If we had professionals who could plan and manage these projects, delays and cost overruns would be significantly reduced.

Another solution is to consider the involvement of the private sector in certain areas of activity. Many governments no longer rely on civil servants to manage complex infrastructure projects because they tend to be less efficient. The private sector can introduce systems that improve productivity and reduce costs by creating competitive environments in which services are delivered more efficiently.

For example, in the mobile phone industry, as more users join, companies reduce their prices and offer better services. If we applied the same model to public transportation, we could make the subway system more affordable and more efficient over time. Additionally, we should explore other non-operational revenue sources, such as business development and advertising, which can help subsidize operational costs.

How can Bangladesh combine large investment projects like the metro with more flexible and less expensive solutions?

In a city like Dhaka, where the population density is extremely high, focusing only on a metro system will not solve all our transportation problems. In fact, the current project for metro 6 and other future metro lines only serves a small part of the population.

For example, if we were to invest $30 billion in a comprehensive subway system, it would only serve 17 to 20 percent of the city’s population. Meanwhile, bus systems, if managed and regulated properly, could serve 40 percent of the population for a fraction of the cost. The 2005 Strategic Transportation Plan (STP), focused on creating an efficient transportation system for the city, took some of these factors into account. We must prioritize systems that provide the best return on investment for the majority of the population.

Additionally, we should explore alternatives such as light rail and monorail, which are cheaper and more flexible. Light rail, for example, can travel along winding routes and access areas where building a full subway line would be too costly. These systems are successfully used in cities like Singapore and Hong Kong, and we should seriously consider them for unplanned and densely populated areas of Dhaka such as Old City, Basabo, Mohammadpur, etc.

So, what is the way forward for Dhaka’s public transport system?

We need to think about inclusiveness and sustainability. Currently, the metro system mainly benefits residents of certain areas, while a large part of the population, especially those in the eastern and western outskirts of Dhaka, are excluded. These areas lack public transportation options and building a subway system there would be too expensive.

This is where alternatives like monorails and light rail come into play. They can be built on smaller infrastructure, such as narrow piers, and have a much smaller footprint, making them more suitable for areas where space is limited. These systems would provide affordable transportation options to millions of people currently excluded.

Ultimately, we need to abandon the mentality that only big, expensive projects are the solution. By investing in a combination of transportation modes (subways, buses, light rail) we can create a transportation ecosystem that works for everyone, not just the elite.

If we continue this way, we risk creating a system that serves a small portion of the population while draining the country’s resources. Maintenance costs will skyrocket, revenues will fall short, and ultimately these projects could become financial burdens or “white elephants.” Now is the time to make thoughtful, data-driven decisions. Without it, future generations will bear the brunt of today’s mistakes.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.

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