Infrastructure, Political Conflict, and Stakeholder Interests: The Case of a Public-Private Partnership in Bangladesh

Public-private partnerships (P3s) offer an alternative for constructing public infrastructure by drawing upon private sector finance and expertise. This article explores the case of the construction of an inland container terminal in Bangladesh. Drawing upon a review of the literature on P3s, secondary publications, government documents, and interviews with relevant sources, the study reveals that diverse interests influenced the decision and implementation of an infrastructure project under a P3 model. The investment capacity of the private sector and its human and technological resources could not help overcome the strong obstacles created by political and social forces. The project took a long time to complete, and decisions on the location were frequently changed. The study finds that intense animosity between the two leading political parties that led to efforts to deny credit to competitors and conflicting stakeholder interests are formidable obstacles in the way of implementing P3 projects in Bangladesh.