Dhaka, July 8 -- The long-running controversy over the unawarded Shantahar and Bagerhat power projects in Bangladesh highlights a troubling continuity in governance that undermines both transparency and public trust. What began as a competitive international tender in 2016 under the Awami League regime has now resurfaced under a new administration, still shackled by decisions rooted more in political expediency than merit.
Our newspaper on Monday reported that despite being the lowest evaluated responsive bidder, the XCEL-Energis consortium was excluded from final consideration without explanation. The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), having initially endorsed the bids, failed to forward them to the Cabinet Committee on Governmen...