The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a Tk 2204-crore project to expand and modernise Teletalk so that it can provide 4G services even in rural areas at a cheaper rate. The approval came from the weekly Ecnec meeting chaired by its chairperson Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The PM joined the virtual meeting from her official residence, while other Ecnec members attended it from the NEC conference room.   Read:Govt to spend Tk 4,167cr on 10 projects, Ecnec gives nod “Today’s meeting approved a total of 10 projects with an overall estimated cost of Tk 7,985.51 crore (only additional cost of a revised project counted here). Of these, nine are new and the remaining one is a revised project,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the meeting.   Of the total cost, Tk 6,660.29 crore will be borne from the national exchequer, while Tk 173.09 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned and the remaining Tk 1,188.13 crore will come as foreign loans, he said.   Read Fortify action-oriented approach to attain green growth: PM tells P4G Summit

Accelerating infrastructural development, ensuring utility services and upgrading education and medical services in rural areas may help engage the large number of people returning to their villages losing the sources of their income in the wake of COVID-19 fallout.

The surface urban heat island (SUHI) in the urban core of Dhaka is 3.4 degrees Celsius higher than rural locations, posing various threats to the city dwellers, according to a study.