Speakers suggest taking effective steps for Delta Plan
The implementation of various projects under the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP 2100) requires taking effective steps to build physical infrastructure as well as enhance the capacity and efficiency of the workforce, speakers said at a seminar yesterday.
The speakers also called upon the concerned authorities to revise and update the plan every two to five years to ensure sustainable development.
In addition, they urged the government to strengthen the capacities of its ministries and departments, and emphasised on using modern technologies for all their activities.
The seminar, styled “Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100: Private Sector Involvement to achieve a Safe, Climate-Resilient and Prosperous Delta”, was organised by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its auditorium in Dhaka.
FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said private sector participation in the implementation of such large and long-term projects is not as obvious as it should be.
So, the private sector could be made more involved in various development activities through public-private partnerships (PPP), he added.
He went on to say that although the government and its development partners, environment and climate-related funds, and PPPs are considered as potential sources of public funding, there is ample scope for the private sector to increase its contribution.
“Resources in the country are limited so appropriate steps must be taken to properly implement the Delta Plan by utilising these resources,” Uddin added.
The FBCCI president believes that increased private sector participation in the implementation of long-term plans for managing floods, river erosion, the water supply, waste and drainage could improve the pace and quality of work being done.
The potential of using waterways for transportation also should be harnessed to reduce traffic congestion in urban areas.
“It is very important to open the waterway routes between Dhaka and the adjacent districts. So, the private sector could play an important role to this end,” he said.
The BDP 2100 is a long-term techno-economic mega plan that integrates all delta-related plans and policies, enveloping a Delta Vision and strategies that make it possible to integrate sector plans and policies for the long term and to present actionable interventions with a roadmap for realization.
The government had approved the BDP 2100 on September 4, 2018, to secure the future of water resources and mitigate the likely effects of climate change and natural disasters.
“Bangladesh is moving forward with considerable efficiency but still, more skills need to be acquired and that is why it is very important to further build institutional capacity,” said Shykh Seraj, founding director and head of news at Channel I.
Architect Iqbal Habib, member secretary of the Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon, said if private organisations that could play a strong role in implementing the BDP 2100 are added only in name, then the dream of implementing such projects will amount to nothing.
Shamsul Alam, the state minister for planning, said there is a huge scope for private sector investment in Delta Plan programmes.
