Ecnec approves 18 projects

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a project involving Tk 59.18 billion to ensure infrastructural development at 2,000 selected madrasahs across the country, reports UNB.

The approval came from the weekly Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

"Today (Tuesday), the Ecnec cleared a total of 18 projects at a total estimated cost of Tk 177.86.billion," Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said while briefing reporters after the meeting.

Of the total project cost, Tk 138.13 billion will come from government funds while Tk 426.2 million from the own funds of organisations concerned and the rest of Tk 39.30 billion as project assistance, he said.

Of the total projects, 12 are new and six are revised ones.

The Planning Minister said the project titled 'Selected Madrasahs Development' will be implemented by June 2021.

He said some 2,000 madrasahs will be covered under the project and each Member of Parliament (MP) has provided a list of six madrasahs from their respective constituencies for infrastructural development under the project.

Besides, some other madrasahs will be selected under special consideration, he added.

The 17 other projects approved in the Ecnec meeting include Rural Transport Improvement Project-2 (RTIP-2), (second revised) with a cost of Tk 4,819.70 crore, Completing the Unfinished Works of PC Girder Bridge over Lohalia River under Patuakhali district with Tk 102 crore, Embankment Protection and Dredging of Arialkhan River under Faridpur district with Tk 291.49 crore, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Chattogram and Chandpur Agriculture Development Project with Tk 69.43 crore, Power Distribution System Development, Chattogram Zone, (1st revised) with Tk 1,421.48 crore, Extension and Strengthening of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (five districts) (3rd revised) with Tk 51.45 crore and Development of Pabna Science and Technology University with Tk 480.60 crore.

The approved projects also include Integration, Modernization, Maintenance and Extension of Safety Facility of 3-MW Capacity Research Reactor Facility of Nuclear Research Institution in Savar with Tk 74.95 crore, Urban Primary Health Care Services Delivery Project (2nd phase) with Tk 1,136 crore, Physical Infrastructure Development of Eight Pourasavas under Jamalpur district with Tk 612.86 crore, Land Acquisition for Surface Water Treatment Plant of Rajshahi Wasa with Tk 78.69 crore and Preservation of History and Historical Buildings and Surroundings Development of Dhaka Old Central Jail with Tk 607.36 crore.

The remaining projects are Preservation of Killing Field and Construction of Monument for Genocide Committed by the Pakistani Occupation Forces during the 1971 Liberation War with Tk 442.40 crore, Pachuria-Faridpur-Bhanga Railway Track Rehabilitation and Construction (2nd revised) with Tk 347.31 crore, Jamalpur-Dhanua-Kamalpur-Roumari-Datbhanga District Highway Widening and Strengthening (Kurigram Portion) with Tk 332.10 crore, Strengthening of First Class Weather Surveillance Station at 13 River Ports in Bangladesh with Tk 80.50 crore and Barisal Division Rural Infrastructure Development with Tk 920 crore.