Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the government has adopted an ambitious Tk3 lakh crore Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the 2026-27 fiscal year to revive the country’s fragile economy and accelerate investment-driven growth.

He made the remarks on Sunday (18 May) after a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, approved the new ADP.

“Development requires ambition. Growth and employment are not possible without investment. That is why a large development budget has been adopted, and the government believes it can be implemented successfully,” Khosru said.

Explaining the need for such a large-scale ADP, he said, “When the water level in a tube well drops, water must be poured in to increase the pressure. Likewise, major investment is needed to recover from a fragile economy.”

He expressed optimism that Bangladesh would emerge as a major investment destination through strong leadership, prompt decision-making, and professional management.

The approved ADP amounts to Tk3,00,000 crore, representing a 30.43 percent increase compared to the original ADP of the current fiscal year. Of the total allocation, Tk1,90,000 crore will come from government funds, while the remaining Tk1,10,000 crore will be financed through foreign loans and grants.

The minister also said several measures have been taken to ensure transparency and accountability in project implementation. Specific criteria will be introduced for appointing project directors, and accountability will be enforced if projects are not completed within the stipulated timeframe. Each ministry will have a dashboard system to regularly monitor project progress.

Khosru further stated that around 1,300 ongoing government projects are currently under review. Projects found unnecessary, ineffective, or linked to corruption will be cancelled. Decisions on partially completed projects will be taken based on their effectiveness. He added that new projects must be completed within the designated timeframe, with no scope for extensions.

On social sector allocations, the minister said significant funding has been allocated to education and healthcare. Block allocations have also been kept to introduce new projects in place of those being scrapped. He said the government is prioritising value for money, return on investment, and employment generation in every project.

Responding to questions on revenue collection, Khosru acknowledged that Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains low. However, he said reforms at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) are aimed at expanding the tax net by bringing in new taxpayers, which would ultimately benefit the public.

He also stressed the importance of investing in human resource development, particularly in technical education. The government plans to establish new technical institutions and ensure internationally recognised certification and accreditation to create a skilled workforce.