There are some serious questions we should be asking about Bangladesh’s economy right now.
On one hand, economic growth is slowing down and inflation remains extremely high. The IMF’s latest projection puts Bangladesh’s growth at around 3.2%, while inflation could remain around 10.9%.
But at the same time, we are seeing plans for massive government spending.
The proposed Dhaka–Cumilla rail project could cost around Tk 84,000 crore.
Several Dhaka Metro Rail projects together involve spending of roughly Tk 2.5 lakh crore.
Biman is planning to add 35 new aircraft over the coming years. The exact total cost of all 35 aircraft is not yet confirmed, so claims that it will cost Tk 1 lakh crore should be treated carefully.
The new government pay structure could also require tens of thousands of crores of additional spending, while the Family Card program involves another large public expenditure.
I am not against development.
Bangladesh needs better railways.
We need better public transportation.
Biman needs a modern fleet.
Government employees deserve fair salaries.
Poor and vulnerable families need social protection.
But there is a legitimate question:
Can Bangladesh afford to do all of this at the same time when economic growth is only around 3–4% and inflation is close to 11%?
The issue is not simply how much we spend.
We need to ask:
How much economic value will these projects create?
How many jobs will they generate?
How much revenue will they bring?
How much debt will they create?
How long will it take to recover the investment?
And most importantly, what are we giving up by spending this money now?
Development is necessary. But bigger projects do not automatically mean better development.
At a time of low growth, high inflation, weak investment and limited fiscal space, Bangladesh needs to be much more careful about where every taka is spent.
Development should continue—but it should be sustainable, economically justified, and affordable.
Otherwise, we may be building impressive infrastructure today while leaving a much bigger financial burden for the next generation.