Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked the Planning Commission to identify which of the running projects can be finished quickly with little cost to reap maximum economic benefits from the programmes.

“We have to prioritise the development programmes which would be finished with little money. I think that the quicker we are able to finish these projects, the quicker the returns will be, and the country will get the benefits,” she said.

The premier said this in her introductory speech at the first meeting of the commission after forming the new government at the NEC Auditorium of the Planning Commission in Sher-E-Bangla Nagar. She is also chairperson of the commission.

She asked the officials concerned to avoid delays in the implementation of projects and their extensions.

PM Hasina asked the officials to deeply look into the costs of the projects and the expected returns.

“While taking up new projects, please look deeply into the expenditure of the projects, how much loan is involved, how much we have to repay with interest, and how much time we would get for repaying loans,” she said.

She also asked to examine whether the country has the capability to take that much money.

“This is urgently needed before taking up any project,” she said.

Besides, she said, the government has to consider the returns and effectiveness of a particular project for a particular area.

“How much will the common people benefit and how much will it inject into the economy? We have to look into that,” she added.

The prime minister mentioned that Bangladesh is bracing for the biggest challenge in 2026, when it will complete its graduation as a developing country.

“We have to be specific about what kind of facilities we would get as a developing country. From those, we have to pick up the best facilities for us. And we have to start our work according to that,” she said.

She mentioned that many facilities in the LDC country might not be available after graduation, although they will be available until 2029, and the government has already requested to extend those up to 2032.

“We have to consider all these elements while counting our challenges and find out the ways to face them,” she said.

She requested all to work hard so that the positive results of independence and the spirit of liberation would reach every door of the country and the people would enjoy developed and prosperous lives.

She also vowed to turn the country into a smart one by 2041.