ECNEC okays high-cost chancery bldg in KSA

The government on Tuesday approved a high-cost Bangladesh chancery complex construction project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) along with four other projects.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at its meeting in Dhaka approved the Tk 2.09-billion cost chancery complex project in Saudi Arabia, setting aside Tk 150 million for design and supervision consultants.
The ECNEC meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, endorsed a total of five projects at a combine cost of Tk 46.37 billion, Planning Minister M A Mannan told reporters.
Out of the total cost, Tk 14.76 billion will come from the public exchequer, while the rest Tk 31.60 billion will come as project assistance, he added.
The Planning Commission (PC) officials said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) will build the Bangladesh Chancery Complex in Saudi Arabia.
Only 34 per cent or Tk 715 million fund of the total Tk 2.09 billion project cost will be spent for building construction, while the rest 66 per cent fund will be spent for other works.
According to the project proposal, the MoFA will spend Tk 546.8 million for sanitary, water supply and officers' quarter construction, Tk 497.3 million for sanitary, water supply and staff quarter construction, Tk 62 million for furniture, Tk 30 million for electronic appliances, and Tk 4.5 million for inspecting project site by the officers concerned.
Officials involved with the projects said the ministry has proposed a comparatively higher cost for building the chancery complex for the Consulate General in Jeddah.
If the government needs to spend Tk 150 million for design and supervision consultants for constructing an office building, it is not a viable one, said a procurement expert at the government.
Officials said the MoFA has proposed Tk 0.40 million for constructing per square metre (sq-m) of the chancery complex building.
The ministry is now constructing another chancery complex in Riyadh under a different project, spending Tk 0.12 million for each sq-m.
An official of the PC said construction cost of the chancery complex in Jeddah is 233.33 per cent higher than one of the ongoing similar projects in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the ECNEC also approved four other projects - Widening of the important regional highways, Rangpur zone (1st revised) at a cost of Tk 9.94 billion, Development of Darshana-Mujibnagar Regional Highway at Tk 1.49 billion, Construction of Chashara-Khanpur-Hajiganj-Godnail-Adamjee EPZ Road at Tk 1.14 billion, and Establishment of National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Center (2nd revised) at Tk 31.70 billion.
Ministers, the PC members, and secretaries of the relevant ministries were present at the ECNEC meeting.

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