Sheikh Hasina Go all out preparing strategies for both maximizing benefits from Bangladesh's LDC graduation and facing post-graduation challenges, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says as she readies her administration for the change.
She spelt out the direction Thursday while presiding over meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) that endorsed 10 development projects involving an aggregate spending of Tk84.26 billion, officials said.
It was the 2nd meeting of the ECNEC under the present government and its 8th meeting in the current fiscal year (FY2024), held in the NEC conference room in Dhaka.
Emerging from the meeting, Planning Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmakar said since Bangladesh has decides to graduate to developing nation from its least- developed country (LDC) status in 2026, the premier asked all concerned to take necessary steps to prepare Bangladesh for availing facilities as well as facing challenges.
Asked about coordination among government ministries in this task, Mr Karmakar said: "There is no problem in coordination on behalf of the government regarding graduation from the LDCs. This is not the responsibility of a single ministry or agency-it's a cross-cutting issue. LDC graduation has certain potential and challenges."
Planning Minister Abdus Salam and State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker also spoke at the press briefing. Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were also present.
After the meeting, Planning Minister Mr Salam said the ECNEC approved a total of seven fresh projects and three revised projects that would cost Tk 84.26 billion.
Of the money, Tk 79.40 billion will come from internal resources while the rest Tk 4.85 billion from external sources as project assistance.
The Planning Commission, meanwhile, has also placed 30 approved development projects, each worth Tk500 million, before the ECNEC for its consideration.
The 30 projects had been endorsed by the Planning Minister over the last couple of months on his own capacity.
The Planning Minister has the prerogative to endorse projects costing up to Tk 500 million. Any project that costs above this amount is mandatory to be placed before the PM-headed ECNEC meeting for getting the seal of approval.
Asked about the necessity of those small-scale projects, the Planning Minister replied that development projects are being approved after thorough scrutiny. "We are aware of the priority and quality of the projects."
The ECNEC at the day's meeting approved Construction of Bangladesh Chancery Complex and Residential Building at Cairo in Egypt at Tk1.66 billion, Building of Union Parishad Complex (3rd phase) across the country at Tk 30.59 billion, procurement of 20 meter-gauge diesel electronic locomotives and 150 meter-gauge passenger carriages (1st revised) at an additional cost of Tk2.88 billion, Upgrading the Kashinathpur-Dashuria-Natore-Rajshahi-Nababganj-Kansat-Sonamasjid-Baliadighi Border national highway to due standards and widths at Tk 4.82 billion, and Infrastructural development project (1st phase) for enhancing capacity of the government fisheries farms and boosting their fisheries production at Tk 3.71 billion.
The other approved projects are Improvement of fish-landing centre of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation in Cox's Bazar at Tk 2.33 billion, Promoting Resilience for Vulnerable Through Access to Infrastructure, Improved Skills, and Information (Provati, 1st revised) at an additional cost of Tk 1.67 billion, and Establishment of full-fledged cancer, heart and kidney-treatment centres in eight divisional cities (1st revised) project at an additional cost of Tk10.45 billion.
Planning Secretary Mr Karmakar quoted the Prime Minister as directing the foreign ministry to keep necessary restrooms in the design to facilitate the expatriate Bangladeshis as well as to keep sufficient number of booths to provide services to the expatriates with ease and comfort in the Bangladesh embassy offices.
He said the Prime Minister sat with the high-ups of those projects which are nearing completion to know about the latest status of their works.
In this regard, Sheikh Hasina asked the Planning Commission to ensure necessary allocation for those projects so that those could be completed in a speedy manner.
To a question, the Planning Minister said, "Although the government does not want delay in project implementation, such delay sometimes happens due to complexities in land acquisition and hike in dollar price."
The Planning Commission placed the shifting, construction and modernisation of Bangladesh Betar, Shahbagh Complex, to Agargaon, Dhaka, 1st phase, (3rd revised) project before the ECNEC for its consent. It will be executed at a cost of Tk 1.13 billion.
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