6 BTV centres to be built in divisional cities

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the establishment of six full-fledged BTV centres in six divisional cities of the country involving an estimated cost of Tk 13.91 billion, aiming to further strengthen the operations of the state-run television.

The approval came from the ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room with ECNEC chairperson and prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Reports UNB news agency.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said that a total of seven projects were approved on Tuesday involving an estimated cost of over Tk 52.38 billion.

“Of the total project cost, over Tk 34.55 billion will come from the state exchequer, Tk 5.590 billion from the organization’s own fund while the rest of Tk 17.2716 billion from project assistance,” he said.

Of the approved seven projects, six are new while another is a revised project.

The planning minister said initially there was a proposal for setting up five full-fledged BTV centres in the divisional cities of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal Division.

Later, prime minister Sheikh Hasina directed the ministry of information and the BTV to establish another full-fledged BTV centres in Mymensingh alongside the already proposed BTV centres.

The Planning Minister said that the Bangladesh Television under the Ministry of Information will implement the establishment of six full-fledged BTV centres by December 2020.

Of the total project cost, the government will provide Tk 40.245 billion while the rest Tk 98.855 billion will come as project assistance from China.

The main project operations include establishment of six BTV centres, procurement of necessary equipments and machineries.

The new BTV centres would be established for creating massive mass awareness among people as well as broadcasting of national policies, production and broadcasting of various cultural, traditional and entertainment programmes of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, and Barisal region, boosting the revenue of the government and creating massive public awareness against terrorist and militant activities.

Regarding the implementation rate of Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the July-February period of the current fiscal year, AHM Mustafa Kamal said the implementation rate during this seven-month period stood at 36.91 per cent with an overall expenditure of Tk 455.32 billion.

The ADP implementation rate during the July-February period of the last fiscal year was 34 per cent with an overall expenditure of Tk 346.75 billion.

The day’s ECNEC meeting also approved a project titled ‘Making Herringbone Bond (HBB) of the rural roads to make those sustainable’ with an estimated cost of Tk 12.3827 billion.

The Department of Disaster will implement the project by June 2019 with entire government fund to be implemented at 489 upazilas under 64 districts.

Under the project, some 3,145.50 kilometres earth roads would be made HBB.

The other projects approved in the meeting are ‘Leveraging ICT for growth, employment and Governance Project’, 1st revised with Tk 7.5421 billion, Important infrastructural development of greater Patuakhali district (Patuakhali and Barguna districts) with Tk 4.9225 billion, Land acquisition for setting up Economic Zones (Araihazar, Narayanganj and Mirersarai economic zone) with Tk 7.6174 billion, Upgradation of (Palashbari to Rajghat portion) on Jessore-Khulna national highway with Tk 3.2156 crore and modernisation, development of open areas under Dhaka North City Corporation with Tk 2.7951 billion.

Ministers, state ministers, planning commission members and secretaries concerned were also present.