The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 13 development projects with a total estimated cost of Tk 8,333.28 crore. Of this, Tk 4,437.82 crore will come from government funds, Tk 1,225.36 crore through project loans, and Tk 2,670.09 crore from the implementing agencies’ own resources.
The ECNEC meeting was held on Wednesday (17 September) at the NEC conference hall of the Planning Commission in Agargaon, Dhaka. The session was presided over by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser and Chairperson of ECNEC.
Among the 13 projects, seven are new, five are revised, and one project received an extension without any increase in cost.
Key officials present at the meeting included Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, Finance Adviser Dr. Saleh Uddin Ahmed, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruq-e-Azam, Education Adviser Prof. Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, Industry Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and other concerned officials.
Notable projects approved include:
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs: “Tathya Apa: Empowering Women through ICT Project (Phase 2, 3rd Revision).”
Ministry of Education: Capacity enhancement and modernization of laboratories at Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, Gazipur.
Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources: Three projects, including a 2,000-horsepower rig acquisition, drilling of four appraisal and development wells (Shahbazpur-5, 7; Bhola North-3, 4), one exploratory well (Shahbazpur North-East-1), and modernization of network infrastructure and electricity distribution in NESCO areas.
Ministry of Commerce: “Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project (3rd Revision).”
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief: Multipurpose cyclone shelters in coastal and cyclone-prone areas (Phase 3).
Ministry of Textiles and Jute: “Sheikh Hasina Specialized Jute Textile Mill” (1st revision) now proposed as “Jamuna Specialized Jute and Textile Mill” (1st revision).
Ministry of Local Government: Three projects, including Khulna Water Supply Project (Phase 2), land acquisition and development for solid waste management in Kadamrasul area, Narayanganj City Corporation (1st revision), and “Integrated Services and Livelihood for Displaced People from Myanmar and Host Community Improvement Project.”
Infrastructure Projects: Expansion of Sylhet Osmani International Airport (Phase 1) and construction of multi-storey residential flats for government officers and employees at Mirpur, Dhaka.
