Staff Correspondent:

A total of 42 projects, with a preliminary cost of Tk 113.65 billion, have been proposed by various ministries and divisions for inclusion in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) to support government’s social-security initiatives.

Of this amount, Tk 103.27 billion is expected to be financed from the government’s own resources, while the remaining Tk 10.30 billion is being sought by the Economic Relations Division (ERD) from external sources in the form of loans and grants, according to sources.

Among these, five projects with a combined estimated cost of Tk 9.38 billion aim to provide various livelihood support, training services, and cash transfers to the fighters of the July mass uprising and others affected by the movement.

Among them, the project titled “‘Ensuring alternative employment and social safety net for July fighters” proposed by the social welfare ministry would cost Tk 5.0 billion. The “July Revolution Fighters Empowerment and Rehabilitation Project” proposed by the same ministry would require Tk 627.6 million.

The ministry proposed two more projects titled “Multipurpose Use of Public Meeting Centre under the Department of Social Services for the Socio-Economic Rehabilitation of the Victims of the Student-Public Movement Against Discrimination” and “Initiative to Incorporate the Victims of the Student-Public Movement Against Discrimination into the Social Security System and Make Them Self-reliant” with costs of Tk 1.25 billion.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has proposed a Tk 2.5 billion project titled “Identification and Rehabilitation of Women Affected by the July Uprising.”

The project aims to identify adolescent girls and women who participated in or were affected by the July movement, develop a comprehensive database of these individuals, and provide them with livelihood support and cash assistance to help them become self-reliant entrepreneurs.

Officials of the Planning Commission said these projects are included under the current revised ADP (RADP) to facilitate the acceleration of approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

Among them, the ECNEC approved in its last meeting the project titled “Strengthening Social Protection for Improved Resilience, Inclusion and Targeting (SSPIRIT)” with an estimated cost of Tk 9.04 billion with support of Tk 9.0 billion from the World Bank.

The project will provide cash support and training to the poor and also develop a dynamic registry of the beneficiaries of recipients of the social safety net programme (SSNP) in Bangladesh.

Officials of the planning ministry said the government is set to conclude 22 SSNP projects in the current fiscal year, around half of the existing 46 projects of the programme in RADP. The combined estimated costs of these projects are about Tk 26.29 billion.

These proposed 42 projects reflect a significant commitment by the government to enhance social protection in Bangladesh. While the allocation of resources is substantial, the real test will be in ensuring that these interventions directly address the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, particularly those impacted by the economic slowdown and inflation, said an official at the Planning Commission.

However, the list of newly proposed projects includes a significant number of initiatives under the Social Safety Net Programme (SSNP) that may not qualify as true social security interventions, as they primarily focus on infrastructure and building development without offering any direct financial support, either in cash or kind.

The proposed project titled “Establishment of Child Development Centres in Kishoreganj, Joypurhat, and Chittagong” has been estimated to cost Tk 4.30 billion.

The cost of establishing social service complexes in 42 districts has been estimated at Tk 14.67 billion.

The construction of the Chittagong Divisional Memorial and Liberation War Museum, along with various liberation war-related infrastructure projects across Bangladesh that honour the country’s liberation struggle, are also included in the social security plan.

The government’s decision to leverage both domestic and external resources for financing social security projects highlights a pragmatic approach to social protection. However, the long-term sustainability of these programmes will depend on how effectively domestic resources are mobilised and managed in parallel with external support, said Dr Mustafa K Mujeri, former director general at Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

He said infrastructure projects should not be mistaken for direct social security interventions.

True social security initiatives must focus on tangible financial support for the most vulnerable communities, not just long-term infrastructural development, he added.