The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is set to consider approval of nine new development projects in its meeting today (Wednesday), to be held at the NEC auditorium in the capital, officials said.
The new projects include establishment of a textile engineering college in Gazipur, further development of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), drilling of five wells by Bapex along with procurement of a new rig to expedite exploration activities, and a water supply scheme in Khulna.
Besides the fresh projects, the meeting will also review proposals for revising five ongoing projects and extending the tenure of another, according to Planning Commission sources.
Implementation of these projects awaiting approval will require fresh investment amounting to Tk 88.49 billion, reveals the document prepared by the Planning Commission for the meeting.
Of the total outlay, Tk 49.95 billion will come from the government's own resources, while Tk 4.58 billion will be borne by the implementing agencies from their own funds. The remaining Tk 34.35 billion is expected to be mobilised as project aid from external sources.
Officials said that a gas well drilling initiative by the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) is proposed with an estimated cost of Tk 15.56 billion.
Under the project four appraisal and development wells and one exploratory well will be drilled in Shahbazpur and Bhola North areas of Bhola district.
Scheduled for implementation by June 2028, the project is aimed to verify new gas reserves and confirm the presence of recoverable gas.
Under the plan, Bhola North wells 3 and 4 will be drilled to depths ranging from 3,500 to 5,100 metres, while Shahbazpur North-East well 1 will reach 3,500 to 6,100 metres.
The project will also include land development, construction of access roads, civil works, procurement of reservoir simulation software and hardware, and necessary training programmes.
Another related project under the ministry seeks approval for the procurement of a 2,000-horsepower drilling rig for gas exploration with an estimated cost of Tk 5.77 billion.
According to the proposal, three of Bapex's five existing rigs have become obsolete, with spare parts for their electric drive systems difficult to source. Additionally, the mud systems of these rigs have deteriorated after 15 years of operation, highlighting the need for a new rig.
The proposed Gazipur Textile Engineering College in Sreepur, Gazipur, is estimated to cost Tk 2.85 billion and is expected to be completed by 2028.
The college will offer a BSc degree in textile engineering and enroll 120 students each year. The project will be implemented by the Department of Textiles under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.
Another major initiative, the National Archives and National Library Digitisation, Modernisation and Online Services Expansion Project, has an estimated cost of Tk 2.35 billion.
The project, to be implemented by the Archives and Library Department, aims to digitise around 90 million archival and library materials using barcode-based systems. It also seeks to strengthen digital data security and expand online services of both institutions.
In addition, the modernisation and infrastructure development of DUET, Gazipur, including upgrading research facilities and other necessary infrastructure, is proposed at a cost of Tk 8.67 billion.
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