PPP in Bangladesh: Dream Versus Reality

Abstract

In this fiscal year there is a handsome allocation to initiate public private partnership (PPP). One year has gone, by this time, but the outcome is zero. It was a much talked, enthusiastic also, event of the last year’s budget proposal. Obviously it is a very distinctive approach and has a proven track in developed nations. Unfortunately in the under developed countries, where it was highly required, the performance is not satisfactory. We have been failed, last three quarters, to bring a single instance of PPP venture.

All over the world generally the governments do not get involved in business operations directly. They formulate policy for the given sectors and ensure the fair competitive environment for all of the participants. If someone wants to break the law, concern authorities just take steps to rein them. But in Bangladesh, we see, the government bodies act sometimes as a complementary force and competitor to some extent which doesn’t bring positive results. Our bureaucrats, so called donors, concern ministers or advisors extremely like this trend and they do not feel like to overcome the crises. The reasons of fondness, in spite of so many criticisms, are not unknown to general people. PPP could break this ill cycle and so they have created thousands of barriers so that the ball cannot role ahead.

Decentralization is a key success factor of global business organizations. Our gas, electricity, water, coal, sea ports can be managed by independent bodies easily. If MNCs can manage billions of dollars efficiently, why not (really) autonomous bodies can run such sectors? There is a fear of ‘bogus boo’ regarding these sectors. But what has happened in case of telecom industry? Is it a lose sector now? Certainly not rather government is getting a handsome amount of revenue. Only some employees of the state have lost their personal (?) source of income. Most probably from that lesson, others are not giving the chance to start PPP projects. If it succeeded once, their additional incomes will be stopped. So, they never want that it works and government becomes successful.

For this, it is the government who has to understand the reasons. In upcoming budget, it will be pronounced frequently that the government has been totally failed to spend the allocation for PPP. You have to break the circuit of the ill-motive people who are disguised as your own people but to grasp own interest; they are making the government failure. At least a single example should come forward before declaring the upcoming budget proposal.

Keywords: Bangladesh, PPP, economic development, Partnership