The government on Monday scrapped the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Moulvibazar project, as it might put the biodiversity of Lathitila reserved forest in jeopardy.
"If we develop a safari park in a large forest, biodiversity and conservation efforts could be adversely affected," said Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud after the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held in the city.
Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus presided over the event where 10 other projects were approved at a cost of Tk 19.74 billion.
Dr Mahmud said the Lathitila forest in Moulvibazar is a biodiversity hotspot where construction of a park would have negative impacts on the forest ecosystem. Earlier, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recommended canceling the approval of the project.
On August 21, the ECNEC formed a four-member committee to assess the project's impacts on biodiversity and provide recommendations. The autocratic Sheikh Hasina government approved the project at a cost of Tk 3.64 billion in November last year to develop the safari park on 5,631 acres of land in Juri upazila.
Of the Tk 19.74 billion worth of 10 projects, Tk 16.43 billion will be funded by the government while Tk 3.31 billion will come from the implementing agencies' own income.
Dr. Mahmud also noted that efforts are underway to expedite the preparation of the revised Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the current fiscal year, with completion expected by January or February.
"Our biggest challenge is to lower inflation though achieving this has proven difficult, he said.
He highlighted that meeting various demands, including payment of salaries and allowances for public sector employees, continues to exert pressure on the budget.
Reducing expenditures in the revenue budget is challenging, which in turn increases the pressure to cut development spending, said Mr Mahmud, also a noted economist.
Of the 10 projects, the ECNEC meeting revised the ongoing construction of the river ports in Chilmari area expanding the cost by Tk 1.0 billion to Tk 3.36 billion, and two Bangladesh Railway's projects, including the upgradation of the level crossing gates in the eastern region and western regions by expanding fund to Tk Tk 1.45 billion and Tk 1.31 billion respectively.
On the other hand, they approved the Ashuganj-Palash Green Initiative Project at Tk 4.70 billion,
the Sustainable Agricultural Technology Expansion Project in the Cumilla region at Tk 2.06 billion, Felling of Economically Senescent Rubber Trees, Re-Afforestation, and Modernisation of Rubber Processing Project at Tk 1.45 billion, Collection and Installation of 60-million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) Capacity Process Plant for Bhola North Gas Field Project at Tk 2.38 billion, Drilling of the Rashidpur-11 Exploration Well and a 2D-seismic Survey over Exploration Blocks 7 and 9 Project at Tk 5.72 billion, and Establishment of 60 Day-Care Centres Project at Tk 2.12 billion.
In addition to these approvals, ECNEC members were informed about six projects recently endorsed by the planning adviser. Advisers from the finance, commerce, environment, and water resources ministries and senior officials of the Planning Commission were present at the ECNEC meeting.
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