Tk 1,818cr BREB upgrade leads ECNEC greenlights

Staff Reporter :

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Sunday approved 11 development projects worth Tk 9,361.92 crore, including a Tk 1,818 crore plan to modernise the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board’s (BREB) power substations in industrial areas.
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus chaired the meeting at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Briefing reporters, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud said five projects are new, three revised, and three involve only time extensions without extra cost. Of the total financing, Tk 6,677 crore will come from government funds, Tk 2,428 crore from foreign assistance, and Tk 256.89 crore from agency resources.

The largest scheme, the BREB modernisation project, will upgrade 25 outdated substations and build or renovate 625 km of power lines in Cumilla, Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Manikganj, Munshiganj and Tangail. Implementation will run until June 2029. Funding includes Tk 1,080.67 crore from German development bank KfW, Tk 479.98 crore from the government, and Tk 257.35 crore from BREB. The project will boost distribution capacity by 418 MVA, cut system losses from 6.62 per cent to 5.82 per cent, and reduce power outages.

On ADP performance, Dr Mahmud admitted implementation in July was below 1 per cent, slower than last year. He blamed transfers of project directors and delays in appointing contractors but expressed hope for recovery. The government has trimmed the ADP to a more “realistic” level and will bring forward its revision to December-January instead of March-April.

Other projects cleared include Tk 519.15 crore for Rabindra University, Tk 360.11 crore for burn and plastic surgery units at five medical colleges (revised), Tk 774.59 crore for government flats at Azimpur, Tk 2,826.55 crore for the Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project (revised), and Tk 2,855.42 crore for upazila-level mini stadiums (revised).
Two projects – the expansion of water and sanitation in Bandarban and BMRE of Carew & Co – were extended without cost increases.