Bangladesh has claimed that two of its Railway projects have hit a roadblock after India failed to release the promised funds. The construction work is also ailing after Indian workers left the country following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime.
The financial support was pledged six years ago for seven Railway projects, according to Dhaka-based Prothom Alo. While two projects remain non-starters, two others have been halted midway after most of the workers left following the August 5 unrest.
While work on two other projects have been technically complete, they have not been officially declared as completed. One project remains in the very initial stages. The inordinate delay has resulted in the doubling of the project cost.
Bangladesh Railway sources say a letter was sent to Indian authorities from Bangladesh last December seeking clarity about the funds. However, Indian authorities have allegedly not responded to the letter.
Bangladesh has been considering alternative sources of funding suspecting that the Indian loan may not materialise, the report added.
One of the projects was mixed-gauge railway line from Bogura to Shaheed M Mansur Ali station in Sirajganj. The project was to be completed by 30 June 2023 but got delayed. On October 23, 2023, the Bangladeshi authorities sent a letter to India requesting an additional approval of USD 300 million. There was no reply. A follow-up letter on 8 September 2024 and December 15.
India was given a one-month deadline to confirm their decision. However, Bangladesh claims that there are currently no personnel from the Indian contracting firm present in Bangladesh for this project.
Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources in the interim government, told Prothom Alo that the implementation of Indian loan-funded projects, including those in the railway and power sectors, has been slow. But, discussions are going on with the Indian authorities regarding these matters.
