United News of Bangladesh

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is set to hold its third meeting of the 2026-27 fiscal year on Wednesday, with a 15-project agenda spanning transport, defence, health, water resources and land management sectors, according to a notice issued by the Planning Division. The meeting will be held at 10:00am at the Cabinet Room of Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairman Tarique Rahman, according to the notice. Under the Physical Infrastructure Division, the committee will examine Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5): Southern Route, to run from September 2026 to August 2033 under the Road Transport and Highways Division. Also on the list are upgradation of district highways under Rajshahi Road Zone and under Chattogram Road Zone in its third phase ,both under the same division. Defence-related infrastructure proposals include the second phase of Barisal Cantonment establishment (July 2026-December 2030) and construction of accommodation and other facilities for naval personnel in the Khulna Naval Zone (July 2026-June 2029), both proposed by the Ministry of Defence. The Khulna Drainage System Development Project (first revised), running since July 2020 through June 2027 under the Local Government Division, is also listed, alongside two railway projects from the Ministry of Railways: the Implementation of Electric Traction Along the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur Section of Bangladesh Railway and the first-revised project for a new dual-gauge railway line from Bogura to Sirajganj. Under the Industries and Energy Division, ECNEC will review the Improved Working Condition and Social Protection for Workers in the Textile and Leather Sector project from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the first-revised upgradation and expansion of the electricity distribution system in Manpura island area under the Power Division. Three proposals fall under the Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division, all from the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Financial Institutions Division: Health System Strengthening through MNCH Services Improvement and NCDs Control ,Integrated Health System Response to Fight Against TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria in Bangladesh ,and Financial Sector Support Project-II or FSSP-II. Rounding off the approval list under the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division are the construction of the Musapur Regulator with integrated flood and river management and drainage improvement of the Chhoto Feni and Bamni rivers, part-1 from the Ministry of Water Resources, and the second-revised Digital Land Management System project, covering digital land surveys in three city corporations, one pourashava and two rural upazilas (July 2018-December 2028) from the Ministry of Land. The notice also lists 15 additional projects already approved by the minister concerned to be placed before ECNEC for information. These include the second-revised Automation of Land Management project and the first-revised construction of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society's national headquarters, both from the Ministry of Land and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief respectively. Also featured are the first-revised Establishing Green Belt at Bhasan Char and Reforestation of areas affected by Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar, from the Ministry of Environment and a project on strengthening research, conservation and development of indigenous poultry from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Infrastructure items on this list include the first-revised establishment of a telecommunication network in economic zones, replacement of ageing and risky bridges in the Rangpur zone, construction of an RDA building from the fifth to tenth floor, construction of a quarter guard and ancillary infrastructure at Jalalabad Cantonment, and preparation of a Digital Elevation (3D) Model of Sylhet division to enhance flood forecasting capacity. Education, social welfare and sports-related projects for information include infrastructure development at Cantonment Public School and College, Saidpur; further infrastructure development at Military Collegiate School, Khulna; the first-revised Strengthening Social Protection for Improved Resilience, Inclusion and Targeting (SSPIRIT) project; and development works at the Barguna and Dinajpur district stadiums. Besides, second-revised drilling of the Sylhet-10 exploration well, under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.