Home Minister Orders Timely, Transparent Implementation of Projects

Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has directed officials to ensure timely, transparent and accountable implementation of development projects under the Home Ministry, warning that unnecessary delays will not be tolerated.

The instruction came at a review meeting held Thursday at the Home Ministry conference room to assess ongoing projects and unapproved projects in the "Green Pages" under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for fiscal year 2026-27.

Salahuddin Ahmed chaired the meeting, where officials reviewed progress and discussed measures to accelerate implementation.

The minister said time overruns are unacceptable as delays directly increase costs. He instructed officials to set time-bound targets for every project and ensure completion within the stipulated timeframe.

He also called for swift preparation of Development Project Proposals (DPPs) for new and revised projects.

Referring to prison-related projects, the minister said some delays may be understandable due to security and movement restrictions. However, he stressed there should be no delay in ordinary civil works or infrastructure projects.

He directed authorities to complete all general infrastructure projects, including construction of the Special Response Battalion (SRB) headquarters, within the deadlines.

Emphasising strict enforcement of the Narcotics Control Act, the minister ordered acceleration of projects to establish dog squads in every district, strengthen drug-testing facilities, renovate lock-ups and storage facilities, and set up modern forensic and digital forensic laboratories at district level.

He also called for transforming rural police stations into standardised "model police stations" based on a prototype design.

In areas facing land shortages, the minister urged expediting land acquisition and undertaking single, integrated projects instead of fragmented initiatives.

The meeting also discussed measures to address logistical and vehicle shortages faced by law enforcement agencies.

Planning State Minister Jonaed Saki, who attended the meeting, called for adopting a programmatic or cluster approach instead of separate projects to maximise benefits and avoid overlapping activities.

He stressed the need to reassess ongoing projects and undertake re-scoping to achieve visible progress within the remaining four to four-and-a-half years of the government's tenure.

According to the meeting, Tk 2,662.05 crore has been allocated in the ADP for 2026-27 for the "Public Order and Safety" sector. Of the amount, Tk 2,552.08 crore will come from government financing while Tk 109.97 crore will be financed through project loans and grants.

The Home Ministry said it is working to build a "Safe and Peaceful Bangladesh." Mapping of 26 commitments under the ministry's jurisdiction has been completed in line with the BNP's Election Manifesto 2026, the meeting was informed.

The ministry is also committed to strengthening the law and order sector through transformative development in line with the government's five-year economic reform and development strategy for July 2026-June 2031, particularly its 3R Strategy — Recovery, Restoration and Reconstruction.

Senior officials of the Home Ministry, heads of 10 departments and agencies under the ministry and concerned project directors attended the meeting.