Staff Reporter :
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has sanctioned 13 projects totaling over Tk12,532 crore, including two initiatives focused on gas extraction.
Presided over by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, the meeting took place on Sunday at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.
Following the meeting, Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud provided details during a press briefing.
Among the 13 approved projects, nine are new, with a budget allocation of Tk12,071.28 crore, while four revised projects have been granted an additional Tk508 crore, bringing their total cost to Tk7,341.3 crore.
A key initiative among them is the “Excavation of 4 Appraisal-cum-Development Wells in Titas and Kamta Fields,” which will be executed by Gas Fields Company Limited (BGFCL) at an estimated cost of Tk1,255 crore.
The government will contribute Tk872 crore, while Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) will provide Tk382 crore from its own resources. The project is scheduled to be implemented between January 2025 and September 2027.
Another significant project is the “3-D Seismic Survey Project in Habiganj, Bakhrabad, and Meghna Fields,” also under BGFCL’s execution.
With a budget of Tk454 crore, the project will receive Tk312 crore in government funding, while Sylhet Gas Fields will invest Tk141 crore. Implementation is set to span from January 2025 to June 2027.
Additional approved projects include the Chattogram Metropolitan North Kattali Catchment Sanitation Project, the Mongla Port Facilities Expansion and Development Project, and the Improved Seed Production and Development Project for paddy, wheat, and maize.
Moreover, the Modernisation and Development Project for Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation’s (BADC) existing seed production, processing, and distribution systems, the Food Safety Testing Capacity Development Project, and the Sylhet-12 Well Drilling Project have also secured approval.
Other notable initiatives include the Ghorashal Fourth Unit Re-powering Project, the Power Distribution System Development Project for the Chattogram Zone, and the Strengthening Service Delivery Systems for Improved Migration Management and Sustainable Reintegration Project.
Furthermore, Ecnec has approved the Project for Establishing and Developing Scenic Government Primary Schools in Dhaka Metropolis and Purbachal, including infrastructure enhancements, along with the Project for Establishing Digital Labs in Educational Institutions.
Additionally, the tenure of the “Narayanganj City Corporation’s Solid Waste Collection and Removal Management (Second Revised)” project has been extended for the fourth time.
Beyond these approvals, four proposals were submitted to Ecnec for consideration.
These proposals include the Project for Strengthening the Capacity of the Department of Livestock Services, the USAID-backed Ecosystem Project titled “Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation and Management in the North East and South West Regions of Bangladesh,” the Char Development and Settlement Project Bridging (DDSP-B) Project, and the Project for the Preservation and Renovation of Dhaka Central Jail and associated development activities.
