PPP authority to lose autonomous status

The Bangladesh Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority is going to lose its status as an autonomous government agency, according to an official document obtained by the Business Insider Bangladesh.

With this decision, the PPP authority will now require the government’s approval for its board decisions.

To this end, the cabinet, at a meeting on Thursday, gave its approval to amend the Bangladesh Public-Private Partnership (PPP) law.

After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam briefed the media on matters discussed at the meeting. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting virtually from her official residence of Ganabhaban.

Although the secretary did not admit that the status of an independent agency will be dropped from the PPP law, he said, several provisions in the law will be replaced or removed.

He also said the PPP office is a statuary authority, so it will remain as a neutral government agency.

However, he said the finance minister will attend the PPP authority’s board meetings as vice-chairman in the case of the Prime Minister’s absence.

Moreover, the PPP authority board will not take any decision without government approval, he admitted.

The secretary said, “From now on, the PPP projects will directly go to the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase for approval, instead of going through the Executive Committee on National Economic Council (ECNEC).

This will result in faster approval of PPP projects, he added.