The government is considering a proposal for a detailed feasibility study for implementation of the Teesta river-restoration and-management project, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the question arose in parliament Wednesday.
She was responding to the question raised by lawmaker Hamidul Huq Khondker of Kurigram-2 constituency, close by the border river that dries up in summer and overflows in rainy season and thus affects life and economic activity in vast northern area.
Detailing on the status of the multipurpose barrage scheme, the prime minister said with a view to implementing the Tk 821-billion project the government had prepared a preliminary development project proposal and sent it to the Economic Relations Division for seeking foreign assistance.
"At the 51st meeting of an ERD committee that is responsible for mobilising foreign funds, it was decided that a proposal would be sent to China for funding the project on easier terms," she said.
Bangladesh sent the PDPP of the project to China in March 2021, through the Chinese Embassy, seeking loan for implementation of the project.
After evaluating the PDPP, the Chinese government identified some weaknesses in the project and they sent their recommendations on the project to the government in March this year.
"The Chinese government, in their evaluation, mentioned a lack of detailed proposal on land development and water navigation. They also suggested downsizing the project through excluding some of the components and also recommended implementing the project in phases," the premier told the House.
A Chinese company, 'Power China', had sent a proposal to the Water Development Board for detailed feasibility study of the project, which is now under consideration of the development, she apprised the lawmakers.
Earlier, responding to another question from Farida Yasmin MP, Prime Minister Hasina told the parliament that BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Zia and 14 other convicts of the August 21, 2004 grenade-attack case are fugitives.
To the question from the treasury-bench lawmaker, Farida Yasmin, during the question-answer session, Sheikh Hasina said 34 convicts were arrested while 15 others, including Tarique Rahman alias Tarique Zia, are fugitives out of 49 in total.
The Leader of the House said a total of 49 accused got various sentences that include capital punishment and life-term imprisonment in the trial of the grenade case in Dhaka's Speedy Trial Tribunal No-1 on October 10, 2018.
"Of the convicts, 19 were sentenced to death, 19 others to life imprisonment while the rest 11 to various jail terms," she added.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com