The government has approved a total of 24 development projects, including the World Bank-funded Rohingya rehabilitation project, involving a combine cost of Tk 247.41 billion.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ENCEC) endorsed the record number of projects at a meeting in the city on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told reporters that the ECNEC approved the 'Emergency Multi-sector Rohingya crisis response project' to be implemented at a cost of Tk 10.58 billion.
Under the project, the government will build shelters, multi-sectoral community service centre, roads, bridges, culverts and market, install tube-wells for safe drinking water with better sanitation and water supply and build a fire service centre for the Rohingya people in Cox's Bazar.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) will implement the project.
The World Bank will provide Tk 10.48 billion for the Rohingya crisis response project.
With this project, the government endorsed a total of four development partner-funded projects within a span of three weeks.
On October 9, the ECNEC had endorsed three projects for the rehabilitation of Rohingya, to be funded by another development partner -- the Asian Development Bank (ADB) -- on emergency basis.
When asked about the Rohingya rehabilitation projects, Planning Minister Mustafa Kamal said: "We have the responsibility to look after the Rohingya people when they arrive in our land. So, we are working to ensure a better life for them here."
"After their (Rohingya) repatriation to their own country, Myanmar, all the infrastructure, to be built under the projects, will be used by our local residents in Cox's Bazar," he told reporters.
The ECNEC also approved the Indian Line of Credit (LoC)-supported construction of Sirajganj-to-Bogura railway track project involving Tk 55.79 billion cost.
Once the railway track is installed, the travel time from Dhaka to northern districts will be reduced significantly, said Bangladesh Railway officials.
Other approved projects include installation of Dhaka-Pabna railway line up to Dhalarchar at a cost of Tk 17.37 billion; construction of damaged roads, canals and footpaths at Dhaka North City Corporation areas (Tk 6.94 billion); upgrade of telecomm and ICT, manpower and technical capacity of DGFI project (Tk 12.72 billion); and setting up of new campus of Bangabandhu Maritime University (Tk 11.84 billion).
ECNEC members, cabinet ministers, members of the Planning Commission and high officials of the ministries concerned were present at the meeting.
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