State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki has said the government is prioritising human resources over undertaking mega infrastructure projects.

"By just taking up mega projects to astonish people and create an illusion of development, this government has no interest in mega loot from those projects," he said.

Govt takes 1,270 new ADP projects for FY2027 budget: State Minister Saki

Saki made the remarks while addressing a Shadow Parliament Debate Competition titled "Implementation efficiency is more important than financing to reap the benefits of the national budget," organised by Debate for Democracy at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) in Tejgaon on Saturday.

He said the government has become more cautious about taking up mega projects after learning from past experience and is now focusing on necessary and practical projects.

"The government's main priority is human resource development rather than mega projects," he said.

He said the government would continue to invest in communication infrastructure where needed to support production and economic activities, alongside efforts to develop skilled human resources and expand productive sectors.

Saki said there should be continuity in government policies, as stopping all ongoing projects whenever a new government takes office would create economic problems.

"We are completing projects through rationalisation. We are also reviewing projects with limited physical progress to see whether they can be integrated with new projects or merged with others. As a result, a major restructuring of development projects is underway," he said.

The state minister acknowledged that the implementation rate of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) remains disappointing, but said the government is taking steps to improve the situation.

He said initiatives have been taken to widen the tax base so that small traders can pay a minimum level of tax. "Our objective is to collect taxes fairly, not to harass people," he said.

Saki also said taxes on 60 essential commodities have been reduced to ease the burden of inflation on ordinary people, adding that no one would be harassed during the process of expanding the tax base.

Speaking at the programme, Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron said the country's economy had been weakened by the wrong policies, irregularities and corruption during the Awami League government's tenure.

He said the current government inherited a fragile economy, while political interference and a lack of good governance had prevented people from receiving the expected benefits of previous budgets.

Kiron said efficient implementation of the budget is as important as securing adequate financing.

He alleged that widespread corruption took place in the name of infrastructure development under the previous government, with many projects being overvalued.

"Mega projects turned into mega corruption. Even small projects were not free from irregularities," he said, adding that parts of the power and energy sectors had been handed to a few companies for political reasons, creating opportunities for corruption.

Kiron also welcomed the reduction of source tax on 60 essential items, including rice, pulses, wheat, potatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, edible oil, sugar and salt, saying it would provide some relief to consumers.

However, he expressed concern over the imposition of VAT on 16 grassroots business sectors, including grocery shops and confectioneries, as well as increases in fuel and electricity prices.

He said many small traders do not have trade licences, proper accounts or permanent business premises, while digital transactions remain limited.

"In this situation, imposing VAT on small traders may increase their business costs, and ultimately the burden will fall on consumers, which could push inflation higher," he added.