Written by The Banking Post
Top policymakers have raised concerns that the proposed Tk 3.0 trillion Annual Development Programme (ADP) for FY2026-27 does not adequately reflect the ruling BNP’s election manifesto, prompting a fresh review of the plan.
At a high-level meeting of the Planning Commission on Saturday, officials decided to convene another session on May 16 to realign ministry- and sector-wise allocations with the party’s five key manifesto pillars.
The meeting, chaired by the finance and planning minister, reviewed the draft ADP—the first under the new government—which marks a 50 per cent increase from the current revised outlay.
Officials present said concerns were raised that, despite the larger size, the ADP formulation process remained largely unchanged and lacked a clear link to the government’s policy commitments.
“The allocations have increased, but there is no visible reflection of the manifesto priorities in the programme,” said one official, adding that policymakers were instructed to ensure alignment in the revised draft.
The proposed ADP totals Tk 3.0 trillion, with Tk 1.9 trillion expected from domestic resources and Tk 1.1 trillion from foreign loans and grants. Including Tk 89.25 billion from autonomous bodies, the overall development envelope would reach Tk 3.09 trillion.
Sector-wise, transport is set to receive the highest allocation at Tk 500.93 billion, followed by education with Tk 475.91 billion. Health and energy sectors are also among the top recipients, with proposed allocations of Tk 355.36 billion and Tk 326.92 billion respectively.
The new ADP includes 1,121 projects—down from 1,333 in the current revised programme—comprising investment, feasibility, and technical assistance initiatives. Around 223 projects are expected to be completed in the next fiscal year.
Despite the ambitious plan, policymakers voiced concern over persistent implementation bottlenecks. Slow project approval and weak execution capacity were flagged as major challenges.
The finance and planning leadership emphasised the need to accelerate approvals and improve efficiency, including forming a trained pool of project directors to ensure timely execution.
With a tighter focus on policy alignment and execution, the upcoming review meeting is expected to play a key role in shaping the final development blueprint.
