The Payra Port Authority (PPA) has submitted a proposal seeking approval for a Tk 4.90 billion infrastructure development project aimed at constructing residential and auxiliary facilities for its employees in Kalapara Upazila of Patuakhali.

The proposal, now under scrutiny by the Planning Commission, has drawn questions over its timing and necessity amid mounting fiscal pressures on the government.

According to project documents and officials, the PPA plans to excavate two ponds and build a pair of water reservoirs, allocating Tk 152 million for this purpose. A further Tk 306.56 million would be spent on filling up a deep land parcel adjacent to the port area to prepare it for construction.

The proposal includes building three residential complexes and at least six non-residential structures. Other planned facilities include a guest house, a recreation club, a superstore, mini-markets, a children’s park, a playground, boundary walls, gates, gatehouses, and approach roads.

The PPA has also earmarked Tk 195.60 million for the guest house and club, alongside a Tk 82.66 million “lump sum fund” for unspecified auxiliary works.

To oversee the project, the authority proposed acquiring five luxury cars and jeeps, four motorcycles, and fuel for these vehicles, at a combined cost of over Tk 42 million. An additional Tk 2 million was requested to cover entertainment expenses for relevant government officials during the approval and monitoring stages.

A senior official at the PPA stated that the project aims to provide quality residential amenities for port staff, adding that the facilities are necessary to support long-term operations at the site.

However, a Planning Commission official indicated hesitation over approving the project under current economic conditions. “Since Bangladesh’s economy is under pressure, we would hardly approve such a project at this moment,” the official said.

Despite ongoing operational and financial challenges at Payra Port, the proposal includes relatively high allocations for non-essential components, prompting further scrutiny. The port has previously been criticised for underutilisation and limited commercial viability.

The Planning Commission is currently evaluating the cost-effectiveness and relevance of the proposal in light of national priorities and fiscal constraints.