The incumbent government has approved a staggering 450 road development projects at Tk 5.80 trillion in the past 10 and a half years, officials said.
But experts say this massive financing has failed to deliver any substantial return to economy as Bangladesh is still struggling with infrastructure bottlenecks.
They have suggested that the government put emphasis on maintenance and operations rather than approving more highway and road-building projects.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) and the Planning Commission (PC) have approved 450 projects from fiscal year 2009-10 to the first half of this fiscal.
Mr Shamsul Hoque, a transport expert and former professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), said the current "development engine" needs to be "cooled down to some extent" as it has become "overheated".
"After cooling down the engine, we should evaluate the development work done in the past 40 years in Bangladesh," he told the FE.
"It seems the government agencies are in a competition to undertake development projects. They don't bother operating and maintaining roads, bridges, highways, railways, waterways and airways."
Mr Hoque said, "Transport sector's development is going on in a scattered manner. It does lack coordination."
"…public-sector engineers and experts are running after development projects rather than investing their time in maintaining the national assets," he observed.
Some senior officials involved with infrastructural development told the FE that many projects, including the mega ones, are taking much time to complete.
The people are not getting any expected returns from the expensive projects, they cited.
A top PC official said the government has invested more than Tk 38 billion in turning the Dhaka-Chittagong highway into four lanes.
The Roads and Highways Department has spent 10 years to finish the project with two revisions.
"One year after completion, the road developer undertook a Tk 15-billion repair and maintenance project for the newly built highway," he said.
"So, what's the return we're getting from this huge investment?" questioned the official who wished to be anonymous.
In most cases, he said, government agencies revise a project one to three times, resulting in a cost overrun and affecting benefits from such development.
"The government has embarked on multiple projects for the growth of transport sector. It should focus on quality development, maintenance and operations."
Another PC official said there has not been any ECNEC meeting where at least two to three fresh road projects were not approved.
RHD and other public agencies concerned should shun this approach and invest their skills in operating and maintaining these national assets properly.
Only recently, both finance minister and state minister for power laid emphasis on the regular maintenance of roads across the country.
They called for urgent steps to maintain and operate these public properties properly.
General economics division member Prof Shamsul Alam said the Delta Plan 2100 clearly mentioned that at least 0.5 per cent of GDP should be spent on maintaining roads, bridges and railways.
"Although we're investing a lot of funds in developing transport-sector projects, they are still in a bad shape," he told the FE.
"I hope the government agencies will work more on this issues which will make our development sustainable."
Mr Alam said the upcoming perspective plan 2041 and five-year development plans will focus on quality development for making the nation a truly developed one.
