The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved six projects with Tk 87.3968 billion including a Tk 71.8866 billion project to ensure a speedy, safe, and cost-effective road communication system between Sylhet and Chattogram region, BSS reports.
The approval came from the 4th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY23) with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The premier joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka while ministers, state ministers, planning commission members, and secretaries concerned were connected to it from the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the meeting approved a total of 6 projects involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 87.3968 billion.
"Of the total project cost, Taka 59.2903 billion will come from the government of Bangladesh portion while the rest of Tk 28.1065 billion as project assistance," he said.
State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam, planning commission members, and secretaries concerned were present at the briefing.
Of the approved 6 projects, 3 are new while 3 others are revised projects.
The planning minister said out of the total project cost of Tk 71.8866 billion for the Upgradation of Cumilla (Mainamati)-Brahmanbaria (Dharkhar) National Highway into four-lane, Tk 28.1065 billion will come from the Indian Line of Credit (LoC).
He opined that this project would turn the Sylhet and Chattogram region into an important commercial hub.
The Roads and Highways Department under the Road Transport and Highways Division will implement the project by June 2026.
Once the project is implemented, it will strengthen the regional communication between India and Bangladesh and will turn Chattogram Port into a center of international trade and commerce.
The project is included in priority 2 of the eight priority corridors to boost bilateral and sub-regional trade with the neighboring countries including India under the technical assistance project titled "Technical Assistance for sub-regional Road Transport Project Preparatory Facility (SRTPPF)"
The main project operations include 102.79 hectares of land acquisition, 1450560 cubic meter of earthwork, construction of 49.53 kilometer flexible pavement and 4.47 kilometer rigid pavement, and construction of 14 bridges, one flyover, two underpasses, 50 culverts, and 12 foot over bridges.
