ECNEC okays 8 projects involving Tk 3,172cr

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also ECNEC chairperson, presides over the weekly ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room on Tuesday (August 1, 2017)

Dhaka: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has cleared an infrastructural development project for the country’s Shewra, Bhomra, Ramghar and Benapole land ports involving a cost of Tk 693 crore.

The ECNEC gave the clearance at a meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city on Tuesday with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the ECNEC meeting approved a total of eight projects involving a cost of Tk 3,171.96 crore.

Of the total cost, Tk 2, 579.40 crore will come from the government exchequer while Tk 592.56 crore will come as project assistance, said the minister.

About the development of land ports, Kamal said steps have been taken to develop the infrastructure of Shewra, Bhomra, Ramghar and Benapole land ports to increase their capacity and security because these ports are mainly used for import-export. Visitors also use these land ports, he added.

He said infrastructure of Shewra, Bhomra, Ramghar and Benapole land ports will be developed under Bangladesh Regional Connectivity Project, Shewra, Bhomra, Ramghar land ports development and development of Benapole land port’s security system.

Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA) will implement the project from July, 2017 to June, 2021 at a cost of Tk 693 crore. Of the cost, the government will provide Tk 100.44 crore while the World Bank will give Tk 592.56 crore as project assistance, said Kamal, reports BSS.

Other projects are development of navigability in the river route from Chandpur-Mawa-Goalanda to Pakshi (Tk 956 crore), construction and development of Nabinagar-Shibpur-Radhika regional highway (Tk 343.60 crore), expansion of Jamalpur-Dhanua Kamlapur-Kadamtala (Raumari) district highway (Tk 335.66 crore),

Rajbari town protection project (Tk 341.99 crore), protection of bank of Jamuna river from Kawlibari bridge to Shakharia under Gopalpur and Bhuapur upazila in Tangail district (Tk 200.57 crore), protecting the Harina Ferry Ghat and Katakhal Bazar in Charbhairabi area in Chandpur district from river erosion (Tk 190.77 crore) and establishment of Sylhet Textile Engineering College (Tk 110.37 crore).