The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved 12 projects, including Tk 3,398-cr one for the Infrastructural development of Gazipur and Cumilla cities as well as Cox’s Bazar municipality. The approval came from the Ecnec meeting presided over by Ecnec chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.   The ministers and officials concerned joined the meeting from the city’s NEC conference room.\ Also read:5 projects to develop rural infrastructures get Ecnec nod “The Today’s meeting approved a total of 12 projects with an overall estimated cost of Tk 12,016.88 crore (only additional costs of the revised projects were counted here),” said Planning Minister MA Mannan told reporters after the meeting. Of the cost, Tk 7,990.14 crore will be borne from the government’s fund, while Tk 594.43 crore will be drawn from the own funds of the organisations concerned and the rest Tk 3,432.31 crore will come from the external sources as foreign loans, he said. Among them, 10 are fresh projects and the remaining two are revised projects, said the planning minister. According to the project factsheet, the ‘Urban Development and City Governance (UDCG)’ project will be implemented in Gazipur and Cumilla cities and Cox’s Bazar municipality by December 2027. The Local Government Engineering Department will execute the project at a cost of Tk 3397.81 crore. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will finance Tk 2,215.56 crore as loan for the project and the remaining Tk 1182.25 crore will come from the government’s fund. The main project operations include construction of five bridges, two overpasses, one flyover, 32 box culverts, 43 pipe culverts, 5-km RCC retaining wall, 37.6-km water drain, seven solid waste management units (including landfilling stations), nine deep tube-wells and water supply systems, 2.20-km walkway, 5,000sq km playground and three bus terminals as well as installation of 130-km street lighting. In terms of cost, two other large projects are "Expansion and Strengthening of Electrical Infrastructure in DESCO Area in Dhaka" with the estimated cost of Tk 2,272.47 crore (to be implemented by March 2026) and "Essential Drugs Company Limited, Manikganj Plant Establishment" with Tk 1,905.26 crore (to be implemented by March 2027). Other approved fresh projects include "Rural Infrastructure Development in Greater Pabna and Bogra Districts (Phase II)" project with Tk 1,400 crore; "Jhenaidah District Rural Infrastructure Development" project with Tk 500 crore; "President Md. Abdul Hamid Shilpakala Academy and Regional Cultural Center, Mithamin, Kishoreganj" project with Tk 59.56 crore; "Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (Phase II)" project with Tk 443.94 crore;  “Rehabilitation of Coastal Dams in Tazumuddin and Lalmohan Upazilas (Bhola), Development of Drainage System and Protection of Banks (Phase I)” project with Tk 1096.60 crore; "Development of Irrigation and Drainage System in Purbadhala Upazila of Netrokona District" Project with Tk 205.94 crore; and "River bank protection work, wave protection and canal re-excavation in 10 upazilas of Kishoreganj district" project with Tk 654.26 crore. Also read:Project to develop 5G network, 9 others get Ecnec nod The two revised projects are “Construction / Reconstruction of Government Shishu Paribar (Orphanages) and Chhota Moni Nibas Hostel (1st revised)” project; "Irrigation Management Improvement (IMI) (For Muhuri Irrigation) (3rd revised) Project. The cost of the Shishu Paribar project was increased to Tk 385 crore in the first revision from Tk 296.72 crore in its original design. Besides, the project deadline was extended to June 2024 instead of June 2021. However, the cost of the IMI project was reduced to Tk 562.69 crore in the 3rd revision from Tk 580.14 crore in the second revision.   In fact, the IMI project cost was Tk 457.36 crore in the original layout.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on Thursday, in a phone call conservation, agreed to work together on climate change and infrastructural development for mutual benefits of the two countries. The Danish PM made the phone call to Sheikh Hasina at 3:30 pm on Thursday on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence and 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Read: Hasina stresses need for research in health sector PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the talks held between the two leaders. During the conversation, both the prime ministers greeted each other marking the two great moments. Both the leaders also expressed their keenness to work with other issues of mutual interests like business, trade and commerce. Sheikh Hasina also greeted Mette Frederiksen on her election as the second female and the youngest prime minister in Denmark's history.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday allotted Tk 27.66 lakh for the persons with disability and their family members of four villages in Rampasha union of Biswanath upazila in Sylhet.

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 government has undertaken a number of projects for the infrastructural development of the Haor regions, alongside better flood management with the aim of improving living standards for the inhabitants.