ECNEC Approves 12 Projects Worth Tk 1.68 Lakh Crore
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 12 projects with a total estimated cost of Tk 1 lakh 68 thousand 780 crore and 40 lakh. The projects were approved under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The ECNEC meeting was held at the Secretariat on Wednesday (September 16) morning. After the meeting, Planning State Minister Junaid Saki briefed reporters at a press conference at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
At the press conference, it was said that of the total estimated cost of the approved projects, Tk 48,256 crore and 30 lakh will come from government funding, Tk 1 lakh 20 thousand 466 crore and 39 lakh will be provided as project loans, and Tk 57 crore and 71 lakh will come from the agencies’ own funds. Of the 12 approved projects, seven are new and five are revised.
Among the approved projects, five are under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges. These are the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5): Southern Route; Upgrading District Highways in the Rajshahi Road Zone to Appropriate Standards and Widths; Upgrading District Highways in the Chattogram Road Zone to Appropriate Standards and Widths (Phase 3); Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5): Northern Route (1st Revised); and Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-1) (1st Revised).
Two projects under the Ministry of Railways were also approved. These include the introduction of electric traction on the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur section and the construction of a new dual-gauge railway line from Bogura to Sirajganj (1st Revised). Under the Ministry of Defence, the approved projects include the Establishment of Barishal Cantonment (Phase 2) and the Construction of Accommodation Facilities for Naval Personnel and Other Infrastructure in the Khulna Naval Area.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment’s project for improving working conditions and social protection for workers in the textile and leather sectors was also approved. In addition, the Khulna Sewerage System Development Project (1st Revised) and the Upgrading and Expansion of the Electricity Distribution System in the Monpura Island Region (1st Revised) received final approval.
Fifteen projects costing less than Tk 50 crore were also presented at the ECNEC meeting. As these projects have an estimated cost of less than Tk 50 crore, they were approved by the Planning Minister under his own authority. Projects approved by the Planning Minister are required to be presented to the ECNEC meeting for information.
The projects approved by the Planning Minister include Land Management Automation (2nd Revised); Construction of the National Headquarters of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (1st Revised); Establishment of a Green Belt in Bhasan Char and Reforestation in Rohingya-Affected Areas of Cox’s Bazar (1st Revised); Strengthening Research, Conservation and Development of Indigenous Chickens; and Establishment of Telecommunication Networks in Economic Zones (Phase 1) (1st Revised).
The committee was also informed about the following projects: Replacement of Risky Bailey and Other Bridges in the Rangpur Zone (1st Revised); Construction of the 5th to 10th Floors of the RDA Building; Construction of a Quarter Guard to Strengthen the Capacity of SI&T at Jalalabad Cantonment; Preparation of a 3D Model for Flood Forecasting in Sylhet Division (1st Revised); Infrastructure Development of Saidpur Cantonment Public School and College and Khulna Military Collegiate School; Strengthening Social Protection (SSPRIT) (1st Revised); Development of Barguna and Dinajpur District Stadiums; and Drilling of Sylhet-10 Exploration Well (2nd Revised).
