The approval came from the weekly Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
“The Ecnec meeting today approved nine projects with an estimated cost of Tk 13,639.01 crore,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the meeting.
Of the cost, Tk 8,886.44 crore will come from the national exchequer, while Tk 4,459.41 crore as foreign loan and the remaining Tk 293.16 crore from the own fund of the organisation concerned (Rajshahi City Corporation), he said.
The Road Transport and Highways division placed three projects, while the shipping ministry and the Fisheries and Livestock ministry brought two projects each, and the water resources ministry and the Local government division placed one project each, he said.
All the nine projects approved at the Ecnec meeting are fresh ones.
Talking about the project titled ‘Increasing Capacity of Mongla Port’, the Planning Minister said the Mongla Port Authority will implement the project aiming to ensure modern facilities for the users of this port located in Bagerhat.
The project will be implemented by June 2024 at a cost of Tk 6014.62 crore.
Of the project cost, Tk 1,555.21 will come from the GoB fund, while the rest Tk 4,459.41 crore as foreign loan (Indian LoC), said Mannan.
According to the factsheet of the Planning Commission, the major project operation included construction of container terminals with all facilities at jetty No-1 and 2, container handling yards and container delivery yard with all facilities, strengthening the security system and automation and improving roads and yards.
At the Ecnec meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised on tree plantation on both sides of roads and highways as well as keeping water bodies and water reservoirs ready in case of constructing large-scale infrastructures, said the Planning Minister.
She said the waterways should not be blocked by constructing unnecessary bridges; rather ferries should be kept where it is necessary.
The Prime Minister underscored the need for installing more scanners at ports and in other important areas, said Mannan.
The eight other projects approved at the Ecnec meeting include Rajshahi City Integrated Infrastructures Development with the estimated cost of Tk 2,931.62 crore, Shariatpur-Zanjira-Naodoba (Padma Bridge approach road) development with Tk 1,682.55 crore and Modernisation of ports with necessary facilities at Paturia and Daulatdia with Tk 1,351.70 crore.
The rest projects are Protecting establishments on the left bank of Padma river under Charghat and Bagha upazilas in Rajshahi with Tk 722.24 crore, Upgrading Karnaphuli Tunnel link road including Anwara upazila link road into four-lane one with Tk 407.08 crore, Freedom Fighter Alhaj Kamal Uddin Road Development in Noakhali with Tk 282.11 crore; Integrated Livestock Development at the now-defunct enclaves and char areas with Tk 128.96 crore and Integrated livestock development in Haor areas with Tk 118.13 crore.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Agriculture Minister M Abdur Razzaque, Information Minister Mohammad Hasan Mahmud, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, among others, attended the meeting.