Planning Minister Major General (retd) Abdus Salam on Wednesday expressed his hope that Japan would stand beside Bangladesh towards enhancing capacity for implementing the country's upcoming 9th Five Year Plan, Perspective Plan and in other areas.
The planning minister said this when Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh IWAMA Kiminori made a courtesy call on the minister at the latter's office in the capital's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area on Wednesday, reports BSS.
Noting that Japan has always been a key development partner of Bangladesh, Salam said the meeting also discussed in continuing such cooperation in the coming days, said a Planning Ministry press release.
The meeting discussed in details on the progress of the ongoing 40 developed projects included in the ADP of the current fiscal year (FY25) funded by the Japanese government.
Besides, the planning minister and the Japanese ambassador also discussed a gamut of issues such as strengthening capacity for implementing the Delta Plan-2100, Matarbari Port Development Project, the 2nd phase of the Strengthening Public Investment Management System (SPIMS).
In response, the Japanese ambassador informed that Japan is revising its Country Assistance Plan considering the development plan and demand of Bangladesh.
The envoy also assured that Japan would stay beside Bangladesh towards helping to frame and thus implementing the 9th Five Year Plan.
Besides, Kiminori said his country would stay beside Bangladesh towards facing the challenges of LDC graduation and thus enhancing the necessary capacity.
‘Ensuring optimum utilisation of taxpayers' money in project execution’
Planning Minister Major General (retd) Abdus Salam on Wednesday asked all concerned to remain cautious at highest level towards ensuring optimum utilisation of the taxpayers' money.
The minister gave such directive in a view-exchange meeting with the officials of the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) held at the IMED in the capital's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Salam also directed the IMED staff to enforce strong vigil so that each and every development project is implemented within the stipulated timeframe and there is no cost and time over run, reads a Planning Ministry press release.
Noting that the IMED plays a very important role towards ensuring proper utilisation of the project fund, the minister directed the IMED staff to prepare detailed reports on the completed projects as to ascertain how much time those needed for completion, issues related to project amendments as well as the causes for time over run and cost over-run of those schemes.
Based on such evaluation reports, Salam said the future work plan is dependent to a large extent while many things are being considered for framing and thus implementing projects based on such reports.
The planning minister observed that there is often time over run and delay in project execution due to the exchange rate hike in the global market, complexities related to land acquisition.
Noting that such challenges would remain as always, Salam stressed the need for undertaking and thus implementing development projects in a timely manner.
Besides, he also put emphasis on prioritising implementation of those projects which are more people centric and welfare oriented.
During the meeting, the planning minister was apprised about the operations of the e-GP and directed the concerned authorities for remaining cautious about its safety and security.
IMED Secretary Abul Kashem Md Mohiuddin and other senior officials were present among others.
