The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 25 projects with an estimated expenditure of BDT 45,191.27 crore. Of this amount, BDT 10,881.40 crore will come from government funds, BDT 32,018 crore from project loans, and BDT 2,291.78 crore from the implementing agencies’ own funds.
The projects were approved at a meeting held on Sunday, January 25, at the NEC conference room in the Planning Commission complex, chaired by Chief Advisor and ECNEC Chairman Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Among the approved projects, 14 are new, 6 are revised, and 5 have had their implementation deadlines extended.
According to the Planning Commission, notable projects include the establishment of the 1000-bed ‘Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital’ to provide advanced medical treatment in the northern region. Additionally, the ‘Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Construction (1st Revised)’ project under the Ministry of Science and Technology was also approved by ECNEC.
For the development of the communication sector, approval was granted for the ‘Elevated Expressway Construction from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat Airport in Chittagong (2nd Revised)’ and the ‘Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar Single Line Dual Gauge Track Construction (2nd Revised)’ projects. Furthermore, a revised project aimed at creating employment opportunities for educated job seekers through freelancing training in 64 districts, as part of youth and IT sector development, also received approval. The committee also endorsed a project to create alternative education opportunities for out-of-school children.
In terms of name changes and project closures, the meeting decided to rename ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University’ to ‘Bangladesh Maritime University’. It was also announced that the ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Space and Observation Center’ and ‘Khulna Novotheater’ projects would be terminated without completion.
Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud, Finance Advisor Dr. Saleh Uddin Ahmed, Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain, along with advisors from various ministries and senior government officials, were present at the ECNEC meeting.
