The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 12 development projects involving an estimated cost of Tk 7,150.21 crore. All of the funding for these projects will come from the government’s own resources.

The approval was announced on Monday (November 10) through a press release following an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. Chief Adviser and ECNEC Chairperson Dr. Muhammad Yunus presided over the meeting.

According to the Planning Commission, among the approved projects, eight are new, two have been revised, and two have received extensions without any cost increase.

The Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives received two projects — Development of Important Rural Infrastructure in Manikganj District and Development of Rural Infrastructure in Satkhira District. The Ministry of Education received two projects — Infrastructure Development of Gazipur Agricultural University and Establishment of One Engineering College Each in Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Rangpur Divisions (2nd Revised).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare got three projects — Implementation of Unfinished Activities of the Completed 4th Sector Program on Essential Family Planning, Maternal, Child and Reproductive Health Services; Integrated Development for Strengthening the Operational Management of DGME, NIPORT, and the Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery; and Implementation of Essential Unfinished Activities under PFD, HEF, IFM, HRD, and SWPMM.

Other projects approved include one by the Agriculture Ministry — Improvement of Minor Irrigation Systems in Haor Areas of Kishoreganj and Netrokona Districts (3rd Revised); one by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs — Construction of Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Udyan (3rd Phase) (1st Revised); one by the Ministry of Defence — Construction of B-Type Officers’ Housing at Nirjhar Residential Area in Dhaka Cantonment; one by the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges — Extension (4th Phase) of the Construction Period of the Kalia Bridge over Nabaganga River on Narail-Kalia District Highway (2nd Revised); and one by the Ministry of Industries — BSCIC Industrial Park, Tangail (3rd Revised).

The meeting was also informed about nine additional projects approved by the Planning Adviser. These include: Integrated Feasibility Study for the Development of Multi-tier Educational Institutions and Strengthening the Education Engineering Department; Development of Selected Private Secondary Schools (1st Revised); Preservation and Development of Burial Grounds of Martyred and Other Freedom Fighters (1st Phase) (1st Revised); Basic Self-Defense Training for Youths; Skill Development of IT-Savvy Youths through Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology; Enhancing Coastal Resilience through Technology-Based Forest Management; Establishment and Strengthening of Agricultural Research Center of BARI in Meherpur Sadar (1st Revised); Development of Areas Surrounding Dhaka City (DCNUP) (2nd Revised); and Enhancement of Technical and Technological Capabilities of RAB (2nd Revised).

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus chaired the meeting, which was attended by Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, Home and Agriculture Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Industry and Housing Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Local Government Adviser Nurjahan Begum, and other senior officials.