Project Planning Pitfalls Push Up Costs, Delay Development

Speakers at a seminar have said that rising implementation time and escalating costs in development projects have become major challenges for the country. They noted that the absence of proper feasibility assessments, realistic planning, and effective project control mechanisms is disrupting development activities and increasing pressure on the national economy.

The remarks were made on Wednesday, May 20, at a seminar titled ‘Fundamental Concepts of Project Control in Engineering Projects’ held at the headquarters of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Ramna, Dhaka.

Speaking as the chief guest, Farhad Hossain Azad said that implementation time and project costs frequently increase in various projects under the Ministry of Water Resources. In the past, there were also incidents of embezzlement in the name of projects in some cases. He said such wastage could be reduced through water recycling, low-water-consumption technologies, and modern waste management systems. According to him, improving efficiency in water management has now become essential for sustainable industrialisation.

He said that proper feasibility studies, realistic planning, and effective control systems must be ensured before undertaking any project. Establishing discipline and accountability in development management is also crucial.

IEB President and RAJUK Chairman Mohammad Riazul Islam said that developed countries spend long periods on planning but complete implementation quickly. In contrast, many projects in Bangladesh take 20 to 30 years to complete, causing costs to multiply significantly. Presenting a comparative picture of project implementation processes, he said developed nations conduct extensive planning and research over long periods but execute projects within relatively shorter timeframes. Bangladesh, however, often shows the opposite trend, where implementation takes 20 to 30 years despite limited planning, resulting in sharply increased costs.

Bangladesh University of Textiles Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Engineer Md. Julhas Uddin said that failing to determine realistic budgets and timelines at the initial stage of projects creates complications during implementation. He also noted that environmental protection is often neglected in the industrial sector. In particular, the absence of ETPs (Effluent Treatment Plants) is causing untreated waste to flow into rivers and water bodies, severely harming the environment and biodiversity. He stressed that environmental management must be made mandatory for sustainable industrialisation.

In his welcome speech, IEB Honorary General Secretary Professor Dr. Engineer Md. Sabbir Mostafa Khan said that technological capability, financial feasibility, environmental impact, and implementation viability must be properly assessed before approving any project. At the same time, project execution must strictly follow the approved timeline and budget.

The keynote paper at the seminar was presented by Chevron Bangladesh official Engineer Biplob Kumar Dhar. He said that no project can be completed successfully without controlling time, cost, quality, and risk.

The seminar was chaired by Professor Dr. Engineer Salma Akhtar, Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Division of IEB. The session was moderated by the division’s Secretary Engineer Md. Shawkat Ferdous, while Vice-Chairman Engineer Md. Idris Ali delivered the vote of thanks.

Leaders of the IEB headquarters and Dhaka Centre, central council members, representatives from various engineering divisions, and engineers from different organisations were present at the event.

DBTech/FA/EK/OR