Ecnec approves 10 projects worth Tk3,890cr, Khulna Shipyard Road halted

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) today (9 June) approved 10 development projects with a combined estimated cost of Tk3,890.97 crore.

Of the total cost, Tk3,810.63 crore will come from government funds, while Tk80.35 crore will be financed from the implementing agencies' own resources.

At the same time approval for the long-delayed Khulna Shipyard Road project was withheld pending further review.

The approvals were given at an Ecnec meeting chaired by Prime Minister and Ecnec Chairperson Tarique Rahman at the Bangladesh Secretariat Bangladesh Secretariat.

The package includes five new projects, three revised projects and two projects receiving time extensions. Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, cabinet members and senior officials were present at the meeting.

Among the approved projects are the first-phase maintenance and rehabilitation of the Barishal Irrigation Project, construction of Integrated Upazila Land Complexes, development of the Mymensingh City Corporation headquarters building Mymensingh City Corporation, upgrading the Anwara–Banshkhali–Toitong–Pekua–Badarkhali–Chakaria (Eidmoni) regional highway, and installation of lifts at circuit houses and deputy commissioners' offices in 33 districts.

Ecnec also cleared the second-phase expansion of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, the second phase of a cancer centre at Dhaka CMH, the Madrasa Education Management and Information System (MEMIS) Support project, a revised programme to establish multimedia classrooms in 653 madrasas, and a project to enhance the capacity of existing grid substations and transmission lines.

The meeting was also informed about six projects costing less than Tk50 crore each that had already been approved by the planning minister. These include initiatives to improve water supply and sanitation in 30 municipalities, strengthen waste management and ease traffic congestion in Dhaka South City Corporation, expand postal services, upgrade training infrastructure at the MES Training Cell in Dhaka Cantonment, implement the second phase of a child marriage prevention programme, and establish an agricultural college in Paikgachha, Khulna.

However, Ecnec did not approve the third revised version of the Khulna Shipyard Road project. The Prime Minister directed authorities to investigate the reasons behind prolonged implementation delays and take necessary action. Officials said the project will be reconsidered after a detailed review.

Meanwhile, the much-discussed Chinese Economic Zone project was not placed for discussion at the meeting due to time constraints. Officials said it may be brought to the next Ecnec meeting for consideration.