Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed the authorities to speedily repair the embankments damaged by cyclone Remal in the coastal areas.
She made this directive while chairing the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e Bangla Nagar area.
"The damaged embankments must be repaired speedily as monsoon is approaching," she was quoted as telling the meeting, according to a media briefing by Planning Minister Abdus Salam.
He said the Prime Minister also directed for ensuring safe water in the cyclone-affected areas so that water-borne diseases could not spread.
Abdus Salam said the prime minister monitored the cyclone situation throughout the night and issued necessary directives to the relevant agencies for tackling the situation.
State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmakar, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were also present at the briefing.
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Planning Secretary Satyajit Karmakar said the Ecnec meeting approved 11 development projects involving a total of Tk 14,337 crore.
“The total estimated cost of 11 projects approved in the meeting is Tk 14,337.38 crore (only additional costs of revised projects were counted here),” he said.
Of the cost, Tk 6,541.52 crore will be financed from the national exchequer, while Tk 7,879.15 crore from the foreign sources and the remaining Tk 83.29 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned, he said.
The 11 projects include eight fresh schemes and three revised projects.
In terms of cost, three large new projects are “Inclusive Services and Opportunities (ISO) for Host communities and FDMN Populations Project” involving with the cost of Tk 4,401.13 crore; “Host and Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN)/Displaced Rohingya Population (DRP) Enhancement of Lives through a Multi-Sectoral Approach Project (HELP): Infrastructure Related Project” with Tk 4,081.84 crore; and “Development of Rural Infrastructures in Rajshahi, Natore and Chapainawabganj districts project” with Tk 2,100 crore.
The ISO project will be implemented by June, 2028. Among its estimated cost, the government will finance Tk 496.37 crore, while the World Bank will provide Tk 2145.38 crore as project loan and Tk 1759.38 crore as donation.
The second largest project (HELP) will be executed by June, 2026. Among its estimated cost, the government will finance Tk 261.42 crore, while the World Bank will provide Tk 2329.89 crore as project loan and Tk 1485 crore as donation, and Bangladesh Power Development Board will finance the rest Tk 5.53 crore from its own fund.
The five other new projects are “the river bank protection works to prevent erosion in different parts of Karnaphuli River and adjacent canals under Boalkhali Upazila in Chattogram district project” involving with the estimated cost of Tk 134.09 crore; “Sustainable Water Management (Ist phase) at Banshkhali and Anwara Upazilas in South Chattogram” with Tk 874.57 crore; “Construction of Modern Steel Silo with storage capacity of 48,000 metric tons at Mohadevpur upazila in Naogaon district” with Tk 367.52 crore; “Technical Assistance for Repurposing of Agricultural Public Support Towards a Sustainable Food System Transformation in Bangladesh (TARAPS)” with Tk 180.50 crore; and “Comilla-Lalmai-Chandpur-Laxmipur-Begumganj (R-140) (Laxmipur inter-district bus stand to Begumganj intersection) and Begumganj-Sonaimuri-Ramganj (R-142) (Sonaimuri to Ramganj) Regional Highway 4-Lane Road Development Project” with Tk 1,679.32 crore.
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The three revised projects are “Procurement of 35 commercial and two auxiliary vessels for BIWTC (2nd revised) Project” with additional cost of Tk 518.96 crore (now the cost stands at Tk 1,837.16 crore; “Development of Cox’s Bazar Airport (Phase-I) (4th revised) Project” with the curtail of Tk 129.69 crore in its cost (now cost came down at Tk 1,885.95 crore); and “Installation of Water Treatment Plant and Deep Tubewell in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Industrial Estate (2nd revised) Project” with an extra cost of Tk 129.14 crore.