ECNEC okays Tk 63.45b project to improve urban infrastructure in 88 municipalities

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday cleared a total of 16 projects including a Tk 63.45-billion project to improve urban governance and infrastructure in 88 municipalities under 48 districts.

Among the approved projects, three other new projects involving Tk 81.60 billion were undertaken to improve important upazila and union roads in two divisions and important rural infrastructures in three districts.

The approval came from the ECNEC meeting presided over by prime minister and ECNEC chairperson Sheikh Hasina at the NEC conference room in the caoital’s Sher-e Banglanagar area.

“Today a total of 16 projects were approved. The overall estimated cost of the projects is Tk 243.62 billion (only additional costs of eight revised projects were counted here),” said planning minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the meeting.

Of the total cost, the government will finance Tk 12,873.11 crore, while Tk 11,472.88 crore will come from foreign sources and the rest Tk 16.15 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned.

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In terms of cost, the largest fresh project is Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Project (IUGIP) involving Tk 63.45 billion, which will be implemented by June 2028.

The Local Government Engineering Department of the Local Government Division will execute the project in 88 municipalities of 87 upazilas under 48 districts of eight divisions, aiming to make planned, coordinated and sustainable urbanization and ensure services through infrastructural development of good governance.

The three new projects designed to important Upazila and Union roads in two divisions and important rural infrastructures in three districts are Widening and Strengthening of Important Upazila and Union Roads in Chittagong Division with the estimated cost of Tk 31.10 billion (to be implemented by June 2028); Widening and strengthening of important upazila and union roads in Rajshahi division with Tk 24 billion ( by March 2028); and Important Rural Infrastructure Development in Noakhali, Feni and Laxmipur Districts with Tk 26.50 billion (by June 2028).

Moreover, a project titled ‘Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET (EARN)’ involving Tk 33.48 billion was undertaken to promote the participation of the youths, who have no education, employment and training (NEET), in the economic activities.

The main operations of the project include enhancing scopes for alternative education and related skills and ensuring their earnings and increasing scopes of self-employment, creating proper environment for them to join works, enhancing institutional skills and project management skills.

The two other fresh projects are Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Pedestrian Underpass, involving with the cost of Tk 11.84 billion (by June 2025); and Restoration and Modernization of Signaling and Interlocking System of Stations in Ishwardi-Parbatipur Section of West Zone of Bangladesh Railway with Tk 6.48.1 billion.

Among the eight revised projects, the Ecnec cleared the 1st revision of Rural Connectivity Improvement Project (RCIP) (1st Revised) raising its cost by Tk 28.26 billion (from the original cost of Tk 36.67 billion) and extending its deadline to June 2025 from June 2021.

It endorsed the 2nd revision of Construction of Herringbone Bonds (HBB) for Sustainable Rural Earthen Roads, (Phase-II), raising the cost by Tk 9.88 billion (from Tk 33.47 billion) and extending the deadline to June 2025 from June 2022.

The six other revised projects include Agricultural Irrigation by Solar Powered Pumps (2nd Revised) with an additional cost of Tk 2.01 billion (now cost Tk 5.95 billion); Construction of Shara-Jalsukha Road Section of Sunamganj-Madanpur-Dirai-Shalla Jalsukha-Ajmiriganj Habiganj Highway (1st Revised) with an extra cost of Tk 2.29 billion (now Tk 9.99 billion) and Khurushkul Special Ashrayan Project (1st Revised) with an additional cost of Tk 1.33 billion (now cost Tk 14.67 billion).

The three other revised projects are Third Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement (Sector) (3rd Revised) with an additional cost of Tk 845.2 million (now Tk 41.78 billion); Construction of Bangladesh Chancery Complex in Berlin, Germany (1st Revised) with an extra cost of Tk 60.25 crore (Now Tk 1.70 billion); and Construction of 1490 m Long PC Girder Bridge on Panchpir Bazar-Chilmari Upazila Headquarter Road over the Teesta River at Sundarganj Upazila under Gaibandha (3rd revised) with an additional cost of Tk 393 billion (now cost Tk 9.25 billion).

Moreover, the ECNEC extended the deadline till December 2024 for a project titled Rehabilitation of Kulaura-Shahbajpur Section of Bangladesh Railways, involving Tk 6.79 billion.