The government plans to restore navigability of Old Brahmaputra, Dharla, Tulai and Punorbhoba rivers by June 2024 with an aim to ensure smooth and safe plying of river vessels.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a project in this regard during its weekly meeting on Tuesday, reports BSS.
This was the 8th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year. ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at the NEC conference room.
State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan briefed reporters after the meeting.
The state minister said the ‘Navigability Development and Reclamation of Old Brahmaputra, Dharla, Tulai and Punorbhoba Rivers’ project will cost Tk 43.71 billion.
He said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the Ministry of Shipping will implement the navigability development and reclamation of four rivers project by June 2024.
The project areas will cover Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Dinajpur districts of Rangpur Division, Kishoreganj of Dhaka Division and Jamalpur, Sherpur and Mymensingh districts of Mymensingh Division.
MA Mannan said a total of 15 projects were approved on Tuesday's meeting involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 132.18 billion.
“Of the total project cost, Taka 84.79 billion will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 4.48 billion from the organisation’s own fund while the rest of Taka 42.90 billion from project assistance,” Mannan said
The state minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina informed that the Cox's Bazar airport will be developed in such way so that wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing 777 or Airbus 380 could take off and make landing there.
The ECNEC meeting also approved the 2nd revision of the Reaching out of School Children (ROSC) Project, 2nd phase with Tk 12.90 billion.
Under the project, the forcibly displaced Rohingya children will be imparted non-formal education in their own language or in English.
For this, the project period has been extended up to December 2020.