In Bangladesh, with just days left before the national election, the interim government led by prof Muhamud Yunus has come under criticism for rushing through a series of high-value contracts and project approvals, moves economists warn could severely constrain the next elected government.
Despite the election schedule being in place-when administrations are expected to limit themselves to routine governance-the interim government has approved dozens of new projects and major procurement deals, including plans to buy 14 Boeing aircraft, vessel purchases from China and the UK, a US trade agreement under a non-disclosure clause, and proposals linked to the Ninth Pay Scale, which could add over 100,000 crore Takka in the annual expenditure.
Since the election schedule was announced, 64 projects worth nearly 107,000 crore Taka have been approved, many of them new. Analysts say such decisions, typically reserved for a politically mandated government, risk tying the hands of the incoming administration amid high inflation, rising debt, and growing non-performing loans. Economists and policy experts have questioned the timing, transparency and necessity of the deals, warning of long-term fiscal and debt pressures.
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