Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Wednesday approved 10 projects worth Tk4,246.72 crore including one for building Chittagong Tax Building with Tk437.07 crore.
The approval came from the 6th meeting of the Ecnec in this fiscal year and the 5th meeting of the interim government held on Wednesday. The meeting was held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Ecnec Chairperson and Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus presided over the meeting.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud said: “Out of the total project costs of Tk4,246.72 crore, Tk3,632.01 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Tk205.79 crore as project assistance, while Tk408.92 crore from the concerned organization’s own fund.”
Of the approved 10 projects, six are new while four are revised projects.
The planning adviser said that they are now processing and thus giving approval to the development projects in a quick manner although they had to scrutinize the projects after the assumption of office by the interim government.
He added: “New projects are now being undertaken while the Planning Commission has also requested the authorities concerned to prioritize local-level projects.”
Turning to the macroeconomic indicators, Dr Mahmud said: “The export earnings are rising again while the pace of inward remittance has also got momentum.”
As a result, the planning adviser said that more funds are being mobilized at the local level while economic activities are also on the rising trend.
He added: “Inward remittances have also a direct and indirect impact as they energize the economy.”
Terming demographic dividend as a window of opportunity, Dr Mahmud said that Bangladesh might enjoy such facility in full scale over the next 10 to 15 years.
He also said: “The government may amend the Statistics Law which might allow the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) to publish data of its own on the GDP, inflation, employment and wage rate with support from the concerned experts.”
The other projects approved in the meeting are :Conservation dredging at Poshur Channel in Mongla Port with Tk1,538.19 crore, Collection of Auxiliary Vessels for Mongla Port (1st Revised) with an additional cost of Tk169.31 crore, Establishment of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System & Integrated Maritime Navigation System (EGIMNS), 4th revised with an additional cost of Tk113.85 crore, Strengthening Sustainable Nutrition Security through Pulse and Oilseed Production with Tk265.78 crore, Increasing Agricultural Production through Surface Water Management and Utilization in Sylhet Division with Tk499.99 crore, Reconstruction/Rehabilitation of Iron Bridges in the Southern Region of the Country, 2nd Revised, with an additional cost of Tk439.40 crore, Dupitila-1 and Kailashtila-9 Wells (Exploration Wells) Exploration project with Tk646.48 crore, Construction of Bangladesh Buddhist Monastery Complex at Lumbini Conservation Area, Nepal project with Tk68.08 crore and Construction of Modern Food Storage, 4th Revised, with an additional cost of Tk68.57 crore.
Besides, the Ecnec meeting was also apprised about nine projects, which had already been approved by the planning adviser.
Advisers concerned attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.
