Key Projects of Bangladesh

Mirpur Low Cost Housing Complex

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is home to around 16 million people, around ten per cent of the country’s total population. The population of the city is increasing rapidly and is expected to double over the next 20 years, which will cause a significant shortage in the availability of residential accommodation. The development of affordable housing is a key initiative for the National Housing Authority (NHA). The NHA is planning to develop a five-acre plot of land in the Mirpur district of Dhaka for the construction of an affordable housing complex. Initial plans for this project began in 2012 and the project is currently in its preparatory stages. It is expected to be developed with assistance from the Government of Bangladesh and private sector corporations.

Bangladesh faces an acute shortage of affordable housing in other cities, as well as rural areas. Several other PPP initiatives are currently underway in a bid to provide affordable, efficient housing across Bangladesh.

Establishment of a Haemodialysis Centre at Chittagong Medical College Hospital

Bangladesh has approximately 20 million people suffering from various kidney and urological problems. In the Chittagong area it is estimated that three million are suffering from chronic kidney diseases. Chittagong Medical College Hospital is the only tertiary medical college hospital in the southern part of Bangladesh and houses the only government run haemodialysis unit in Chittagong. At present the facilities are not adequate to meet significant demand for dialysis. Plans are now underway to introduce a 40 station Dialysis Center within the existing facilities. It is expected that the private operator will procure, install, upgrade, maintain and operate the facilities and the equipment. The project is currently in its procurement stage.

Public-Private Partnerships

Since gaining independence, Bangladesh has struggled through several developmental challenges. Present day Bangladesh still requires significant investment in several key sectors, including energy, transport and water supply infrastructure. Private sector investment is widely considered as the optimal method for encouraging economic growth in the country. With this in mind, the government included policy encouraging public-private collaboration in the national budget legislation of 2009, but the policy lacked clear guidelines on how to practically implement the government’s suggestions.

A second, more clear-cut strategy was introduced in 2010 – The Policy and Strategy for Public Private Partnership – and organised the development of essential public infrastructure and services. The policy was adopted as part of the government’s Vision 2021 goal to ensure more rapid, inclusive growth and better meet the need for high-quality public services. As part of the government PPP strategy, the Office for Public-Private Partnership was established to assist with the development and management of PPP projects. A separate PPP unit under the Ministry of Finance was established to oversee the fiscal viability of projects and sanction funding for their development and financing.
More recently, several other plans have been released to help develop specific PPP strategies, including the Guideline for PPP Technical Assistance Fund 2012 and the Guideline for Vulnerable Group Feeding PPP Project 2012. In 2013 a proposed PPP law was drafted