The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved 12 projects, including a Tk3,398 crore one for the infrastructural development of Gazipur and Comilla 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 Ganabhaban.
The ministers and officials concerned joined the meeting from the city’s NEC conference room.
“Today’s (Tuesday) meeting approved a total of 12 projects with an overall estimated cost of Tk12,016.88 crore (only additional costs of the revised projects were counted here),” Planning Minister MA Mannan told reporters after the meeting.
Of the cost, Tk7,990.14 crore will be borne from the government’s fund, while Tk594.43 crore will be drawn from own funds of the organizations concerned and the rest Tk3,432.31 crore will come from 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 Comilla cities and Cox’s Bazar municipality by December 2027.
The Local Government Engineering Department will execute the project at a cost of Tk3,397.81 crore. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will finance Tk2,215.56 crore as a loan for the project and the remaining Tk1,182.25 crore will come from the government’s fund.
The main project operations include the construction of five bridges, two overpasses, one flyover, 32 box culverts, 43 pipe culverts, a five kilometre (km) RCC retaining wall, 37.6km water drain, seven solid waste management units (including landfilling stations), nine deep tube-wells and water supply systems, 2.20km walkway, 5,000sq km playground, and three bus terminals as well as installation of 130-km street lighting.
In terms of cost, the other two large projects are "Expansion and Strengthening of Electrical Infrastructure in Desco Area in Dhaka" with an estimated cost of Tk2,272.47 crore (to be implemented by March 2026) and "Essential Drugs Company Limited, Manikganj Plant Establishment" with Tk1,905.26 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 Tk1,400 crore; "Jhenaidah District Rural Infrastructure Development" project with Tk500 crore; "President Md Abdul Hamid Shilpakala Academy and Regional Cultural Center, Mithamin, Kishoreganj" project with Tk59.56 crore; "Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (Phase II)" project with Tk443.94 crore; “Rehabilitation of Coastal Dams in Tazumuddin and Lalmohan Upazilas (Bhola), Development of Drainage System and Protection of Banks (Phase I)” project with Tk1096.60 crore; "Development of Irrigation and Drainage System in Purbadhala Upazila of Netrokona district" Project with Tk205.94 crore; and "Riverbank protection work, wave protection and canal re-excavation in 10 Upazilas of Kishoreganj district" project with Tk654.26 crore.
The two revised projects are the “Construction/Reconstruction of Government Shishu Paribar (Orphanages) and Chhota Moni Nibas Hostel (first revised)” project; "Irrigation Management Improvement (IMI) (For Muhuri Irrigation) (third revised) Project.
The cost of the Shishu Paribar project was increased to Tk385 crore in the first revision from Tk296.72 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 Tk562.69 crore in the 3rd revision from Tk580.14 crore in the second revision. In fact, the IMI project cost was Tk457.36 crore in the original layout.
