The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved eight development projects involving a total estimated cost of Tk 2,266.41 crore.
The approvals came at an Ecnec meeting held at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair.
Of the total outlay, Tk 2,229.13 crore will be financed from government funds, while Tk 37.28 crore will come from the implementing agencies’ own resources.
Of the approved projects, three are new, three revised, and two have been granted tenure extensions, according to the Ministry of Planning.
The projects span a broad range of sectors, including water resources, transport, public administration, health, defence, education and energy.
In the water resources sector, Ecnec approved a project for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the Barisal Irrigation Project (Phase-1), aimed at improving irrigation efficiency and water management.
In the transport sector, the committee cleared a project to upgrade the Anwara–Banshkhali–Toitong–Pekua–Badarkhali–Chakaria (Eidmoni) Regional Highway (R-170), specifically the stretch from Kalabibir Dighi to Eidmoni, to proper standards and width.
A public administration project was also approved to install lifts at circuit houses in 33 districts and at the deputy commissioner’s office in Thakurgaon, aimed at improving accessibility and service delivery.
In the health sector, Ecnec endorsed the expansion of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute under Project-2, alongside the first revised phase of a project to construct a cancer centre at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Dhaka.
Two revised projects in the education sector were also approved. These include continued development of the Madrasa Education Management and Information System (MEMIS) and the installation of multimedia classrooms in 653 madrasas across the country.
In the power and energy sector, a revised project was approved to enhance the capacity of existing grid substations and transmission lines, with the goal of improving electricity transmission and distribution services.
Planning officials also informed the meeting that six additional projects—each costing less than Tk 50 crore—had already been approved by the planning minister.
These include initiatives to improve water supply and sanitation in 30 municipalities, waste management and traffic congestion mitigation under Dhaka South City Corporation, expansion of postal services, infrastructure development for the MES Training Cell in Dhaka Cantonment, the second phase of a project to prevent child marriage, and the establishment of Paikgacha Agriculture College in Khulna.
The meeting was attended by senior cabinet members, including the finance and planning minister, ministers in charge of LGRD, power and energy, agriculture, industries, transport, health, home, housing, land, education and water resources, along with state ministers and other high officials.