Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The World Bank has identified five projects funded by it in Bangladesh as ‘risky and problematic’ due to different irregularities including failure to implement those on time, officials said.
The projects are the avian influenza preparedness, water management development, Siddhirganj 350-megawatt power generation, promotion of services for the disabled persons and enterprise growth and bank modernization project.
“We have identified five ‘problem or risky projects’ out of 28 ongoing schemes that resulted from slow disbursement of the funds,” World Bank (WB) spokesperson at the Dhaka office Mehrin A Mahbub was quoted by the Financial Express (FE), a local newspaper, as saying.
She said although these schemes have been identified as problem and risky projects, “we are still discussing with the government about expediting their implementation”.
A senior Economic Relations Division (ERD) official said that as the government agencies have failed to implement the projects on time, the global lender has not released the funds fully.
“We have called a meeting early next month. The relevant implementing agencies and the World Bank representatives will be present there to eliminate the barriers to project execution as well as fund disbursement by the donor,” he said.
BBN/SSR/SI-23Oct10-2:04 am (BST)
