TDS Desk:

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved 13 projects worth more than Tk12,532 crore, including two projects for gas extraction.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, was held at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka on Sunday (2 February).

Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud shared the details at a press briefing following the meeting.

Of the 13 projects, nine are new, with an allocation of Tk12,071.28 crore, while four are amended projects, with an additional Tk508 crore, bringing their total to Tk7,341.3 crore.

One of the key projects approved is the “Excavation of 4 Appraisal-cum-Development Wells in Titas and Kamta Fields,” to be implemented by Gas Fields Company Limited (BGFCL) at a cost of Tk1,255 crore.

The government will provide Tk872 crore, with Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) contributing Tk382 crore from its own funds. The project is scheduled to run from January 2025 to September 2027.

Another major project is the “3-D Seismic Survey Project in Habiganj, Bakhrabad, and Meghna Fields,” also to be implemented by BGFCL.

The project, costing Tk454 crore, will receive Tk312 crore from the government, while Sylhet Gas Fields will contribute Tk141 crore. This project will be carried out from January 2025 to June 2027.

Other 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.

Additionally, 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 been approved.

Further projects 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.

The Project for Establishing and Developing Scenic Government Primary Schools in Dhaka Metropolis and Purbachal, including infrastructure development, and the Project for Establishing Digital Labs in Educational Institutions, were also greenlit.

Ecnec also extended the term of the “Narayanganj City Corporation’s Solid Waste Collection and Removal Management (Second Revised)” project, marking its fourth extension.

In addition to the approved projects, four proposals were presented to Ecnec for appraisal.

These include the Project for Strengthening the Capacity of the Department of Livestock Services, the USAID 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 related development activities.