The implementation pace of government’s development programmes has remained sluggish, with the Annual Development Programme (ADP) showing one of its lowest execution rates in the past five years.

During the first four months of the current fiscal year, from July to October, the ADP implementation rate stood at only around 8%, the lowest figure in recent years, according to the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Planning Ministry.

Its data highlights that, in contrast, the same period last year saw an execution rate of 11.54%.

 Specifically, for the period from July to October of the current fiscal year, the government managed to implement development projects worth Tk 21,978 crore, according to the IMED.

The total ADP allocation for the fiscal year is Tk 2,78,288 crore, but the slow start raises concerns about the government’s ability to meet its targets.

Several factors, including government spending cuts, the political unrest during the July-August period, and the reassessment of large projects, have been cited as the main reasons for the drop in implementation rate, according to relevant officials.

While the government is facing challenges in speeding up the execution of development projects, experts are urging for greater focus on overcoming delays in order to meet the targets set for the rest of the fiscal year.