Contemporary Problems, Strategic Solutions, and Effective Contingency Planning in the Covid-19 Era: A Case study of Construction Project Management in Bangladesh

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about momentous dominance in the world, including the construction project management system. The pandemic has already had a demolishing effect, presenting unprecedented challenges to public health, disrupting the global economy, and causing tumult in the business sectors. The construction projects had their fair share facing countless setbacks. With the construction activities being halted for a significant part of the last year, project management has become challenging. These tight situations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic require effective project management, coordination skills and develop compatible response strategies. Therefore, this study aims to identify the contemporary problems encountered during the construction project management process in Bangladesh and highlights the strategic solutions and contingency planning required overcoming the current tumultuous situation. The findings of this study identify project delay, shortage of workers, supply chain issues, and contractual issues as the fundamental challenges encountered by the projects. The contemporary problems have been identified through monitoring the current situation, visiting sites, and gaining necessary information. A framework of potential response strategies has been recommended after assessing those encountered problems. It implies that future construction projects should consider the possible influences while formulating a construction project management scheme.