It is truly disheartening to learn of two major bridges in Sunamganj, with a cost of Tk130 crore, remaining incomplete nearly seven years after construction began, despite repeated deadline extensions and the disbursement of over 80% of project funds.
While such delays are infuriating, what is even more so is that such is the norm in our country. However, chronic project delays are little more than acts of cruelty against the people, with the delay for the Sunamganj bridges just one example of a broken system.
Projects such as this often give hope to locals of progress and transformation but ultimately, all they are handed are abandoned construction sites, empty promises, and a trail of squandered public funds.
We have a national culture of delay, mismanagement, and impunity, one where contractors vanish, deadlines are repeatedly extended, and excuses flow while millions if not billions of taka are wasted.
Is it any surprise then that there continues to be such public distrust when there is little to no accountability and little to no urgency to serve the very citizens who fund these projects with their taxes?
For too long have we treated infrastructure projects as a tool for politics and falsely displaying progress. Instead, every stalled bridge, every abandoned road, and every half-built infrastructure project only adds to the betrayal of public trust.
A better Bangladesh only happens when there is transparency, enforcement, and citizen-first planning. This culture of delay is one we must address before we even speak of making progress.
