The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today (July 28) approved a Taka 427.30 crore project to create employments for the expatriate workers who have returned home from abroad due to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The approval came from the 1st ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY22) held today with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The premier joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence while concerned Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting from the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that a total of 10 projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 2,575.42 crore. “Of the total project cost, Taka 2,150.42 crore will come from the Government of Bangladesh while the rest of Taka 425 crore as project assistance,” he added. Of the approved 10 projects, seven are new while three are revised projects. Newly appointed State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned also joined the briefing. Mannan said the Wage Earners Welfare Board under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment will implement the Taka 427 crore project by December 2023 under which Taka 13,500 would be provided to each of some 2 lakh expatriate workers, who have returned home due to the negative impact of COVID-19 worldwide. The World Bank will provide Taka 425 crore as loan for the project. He said the workers will be given necessary orientation and counseling while some 23,500 selected skilled workers would be facilitated to get jobs both at home and abroad. Commenting on the project, the Planning Minister said these expatriate workers have returned home from abroad due to various reasons and they have contributed a lot over the years towards the development of the country. “Now time has come to pay them back and for this, support will be provided to these returnee workers so that they can be involved in respectable jobs again,” he added. Dr Shamsul Alam said around 5 lakh expatriate workers have so far returned home while 2 lakh returnee workers would be given support under the project. He informed that a rich database would be made under the project to ascertain the actual number of returnee workers following the impact of the pandemic and thus support would be provided to them. Joining the briefing, Planning Commission member Sharifa Khan said that initially 2 lakh returnee workers would be included under the project and the project coverage would be expanded further in future. She informed that the support of Taka 13,500 to each returnee worker would help them bear their initial expenses and thus allow them to collect necessary certificates from various agencies. Answering to a question, Sharifa said that the numbers of around 4.80 lakh returnee workers was collected from the help desk of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The project area covers 32 districts namely - Dhaka, Tangail, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Pabna, Bogura, Naogaon, Rajshahi, Sirajganj, Barishal, Patuakhali, Kushtia, Jashore, Khulna, Feni, Noakhali, Chandpur, Chattogram, Brahmanbaria, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Cumilla, Sylhet, and Sunamganj. The project operations also include creating linkage among the technical and financial support providing agencies and the returnee workers so that they can get financial support, creating awareness among the common people including the returnee workers about the operations of Wage Earners Welfare Board through holding meetings, workshops and seminars at the district, upazila and union level. Referring to the approval of Taka 568.93 crore project to construct three underpasses on Dhaka-Chattagram Highway and U loop at Paduarbazar intersection, Mannan said the Prime Minister asked the authorities concerned and the Roads and Highways Division to keep provision of underpasses, overpasses and U loops while building new roads and highways to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and people and thus save time. Regarding the approval of Taka 146.87 crore project to construct Bangladesh Chancery Building at Canberra in Australia, he said the Premier asked the authorities concerned to build the chancery there as per the rules and regulations of Australia. The Prime Minister at that time also recalled that Australia was the first among the OECD countries to recognize Bangladesh after the War of Independence. Turning to the 3rd revision of district-wise female computer training project with an additional cost of Taka 31.82 crore, Mannan said the Premier asked the authorities concerned to bring the project operations under revenue budget so that the computer training to the females could be given in a much wider scale and in an integrated way. About the left embankment protection work of River Padma at various places under Louhajang and Tongibari upazilas at Munshiganj district with Taka 446.12 crore, Mannan said the Prime Minister asked the authorities concerned so that the sand quarries could not mushroom here and there as such sand quarries often cause harm to embankments and riverbank structures. The Prime Minister also suggested to the authorities concerned to keep the provision of milk processing unit at the BSCIC Food Processing Industrial Estate in Thakurgaon to be implemented with a cost of Taka 98.61 crore. While giving approval to the 1st revision of reconstruction and rehabilitation of iron bridges in the southern part of the country with an additional cost of Taka 498.30 crore, the Premier asked the authorities concerned including the Local Government Division and the Ministry of Shipping so that the bridges are built in proper height and thus there is no hindrance in river vessel movement including goods-laden river vessels. Planning Commission member Mst Nasima Begum said that a full-fledged pediatric cardiology and pediatric surgery unit will be installed at BSMMU with Taka 72.09 crore. She said that the Prime Minister has lauded the initiative and she wants such full-fledged units to expand further. Meanwhile, Dr Shamsul Alam while appearing before the post ECNEC briefing first as a state minister said that his task would be to bring dynamism in the project implementation process since implementation is a very important issue. He also informed that the Prime Minister also put emphasis on producing herbal medicines in the country. The other projects approved in the meeting are upgrading district highways with due standard and width, Mymensingh Zone, 1st revision with an additional cost of Taka 111.58 crore, modernization and expansion of services and research facilities of Institute of Tissue Banking and Biomaterial Research with Taka 173.80 crore. Source: BSS AH

The government has initiated a big move to bring all the students of primary schools under school meal operations in phases to ensure their nutrition and sound health alongside imparting them education. The Directorate of Primary Education under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has formulated a draft project to this end titled “Primary School Meal” project with an estimated cost of Taka 17,290.23 crore. The project will be implemented by June 2026 at 492 upazilas and 21 Education thanas under all the 64 districts of eight divisions. “The project is scheduled to be placed before the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) tomorrow,” said a senior Planning Commission official. ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence while ministers, state ministers, planning commission members and secretaries concerned will join the meeting from the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. The official told BSS that the project aims to bring all the Primary school students under the school meal programme by 2030 in phases to ensure their nutrition, sound health and thus contributing to social safety nets. “Besides, the project also targets to reduce the drop out of students at Primary level side by side increasing the enrollment rate and school presence rate,” said the official adding that the entire fund of the project will come from the state exchequer. The project is also the highest priority project of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and it was also included in the revised ADP of the current fiscal year without any allocation. Another official at the Planning Commission said that this project would play an important role in meeting the daily nutrition demand of the primary school students through having high nutrition fortified biscuits and necessary micronutrient, necessary protein and calorie-enriched cooked hot food. This will ultimately result in ensuring almost cent percent enrollment of students as well as reducing the dropout rate of students and thus contributing to the development of standard of education, added the official. The main project operations include procurement, transportation and inspection of some 11,11,044 metric tons of rice, lentil, edible oil, biscuit, spices and vegetables, necessary maintenance cost, godown rent, transportation, salaries of cooks, necessary publication, procurement of petrol, oil, lubricant, gas, computer equipment and furniture. Source: BSS AH

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved 10 projects involving Taka 16,276.03 crore, including two projects related to emergency response and preparedness on novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to strengthen the country’s health system. The approval came from the 23rd ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY20) held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Banglanagar area with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the meeting through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban. Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said they had placed 10 projects of seven ministries in the meeting. “The total estimated cost of those 10 approved projects is Taka 16,276.03 crore. Of the cost, Tk 14,401.52 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh (GoB) portion while the rest Taka 1,881.97 crore as project assistance,” he added. Four out of these 10 approved projects actually got approval earlier, Mannan said, adding: “But, we placed these four projects before the ECNEC meeting today for formal approval alongside six other projects.” He said the two COVID-19 related projects are ‘COVID-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness Project’ involving Taka 1,127.52 crore, and ‘COVID-19 Response Emergency Assistance Project’  worth Taka 1,364.56 crore. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Health Services Division will implement the two COVID-19 related projects from April 2020 to June 2023. The Planning Minister said although these two COVID-19 related projects were approved earlier, today’s meeting did not make any amendment to these two projects. Mannan said during the approval of the two COVID-19 projects, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for enhancing oxygen supply to hospitals and having ICU unit in every district hospital. Source: BSS AH

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the ‘Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli, Jamalpur (1st phase) Project’ involving Taka 722 crore in a bid to enhance the civic facilities of the Nakshi entrepreneurs, handloom and handicraft workers there. With ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, the approval came from the ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. Reports BSS. Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that a total of 6 projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 2,650.75 crore. “The entire project cost will come from the state exchequer”. All the approved six projects are new projects. The Planning Minister said that the Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli will be set up on 300 acres of land situated at Jamalpur Sadar and Melandhoho upazilas with all necessary facilities. Bangladesh Handloom Board under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will implement the project by December 2021. Mannan said the project aims to alleviate poverty and improve the living standards of the Nakshi and handloom workers of those areas side by side ensuring sustainable development of the Nakshi industry. He said that Nakshikathas have bright prospects in abroad and once the project is implemented, the handloom and Nakshi workers would be facilitated to a great extent. According to the Planning Commission, Nakshikatha is commonly known as the brand of Jamalpur and some 300 Nakshi entrepreneurs are producing their products in all upazilas in the district including Bakshiganj, Dewanganj, Madarganj, Islampur, Melandhoho and sadar upazilas. Some 261 handloom families live in Jamalpur and Sherpur districts while there are also some 76 Nakshi entrepreneurs and 3,985 Nakshi artists in Sherpur. Since the Nakshi and handloom workers in those areas are passing their days in difficulty like financial hardship, marketing problem and lack of patronization, the Ministry moved the project proposal and thus it got ECNEC approval. The main project operations include some 300 acres of Land acquisition, necessary land development, installing water supply system and construction of boundary walls. The Planning Minister said the implementation rate of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) during the July-February period of the current fiscal year (FY19) reached 39.13 percent with an expenditure of Taka 70,772 crore. The ADP implementation rate during the July-February period of the last fiscal year (FY18) totaled 38.01 percent with an expenditure of Taka 62,372 crore. Referring to the approval of Upgradation of Government Employees Hospital to 500-bed Project with Taka 379.96 crore, the Planning Minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities concerned to make the design of the hospital building much more modern having a good waste management system with the incorporation of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). Besides, the Premier directed the implementing agency to keep a food court at the basement of the Hospital. The Prime Minister also directed the authorities concerned to consider keeping separate places for the doctors in all hospitals of the country to continue their practices. Besides, she also suggested for keeping day-care centers at the hospitals side by side keeping separate blocks for the kidney, heart, cancer and paralyzed patients at the hospitals. She also encouraged the authorities concerned to come up with projects for promoting research and boosting production of local fruits. The other projects approved in the meeting are Upgrading specific portion of Barishal-Bhola-Laxmipur Highway into due standard and width with Taka 312.48 crore, Development of Shariatpur (Monohorbazar)-Ibrahimpur Ferryghat Road with Taka 859.63 crore, Upgrading Nilphamari Domar Road, Boda-Debiganj Road and Phulbari-Parbatipur Road into due standard and width with Taka 250.24 crore, Extension, management and production increase of citrus fruits with Taka 126.44 crore. AH

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved the upgradation of the Jatrabari–Demra highway into four-lane project with Tk368.87 crore. Planning Minister MA Mannan said this while briefing the reporters after the meeting at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area on Tuesday. The approval came from the maiden ECNEC meeting of the newly formed Awami League-led government held with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. A total of eight projects were approved involving an overall estimated cost of Tk1,893.22 crore, he said, adding, of the approved eight projects, seven are new while another one is a revised project. The minister said that the Roads and Highways Department under the Roads and Highways Division will implement the project by June 2020 with entire government fund. The main objective of the project is to reduce traffic traffic congestion, introduce separate service lanes for the plying of engine-based and engine-less vehicles and thus reducing accident tendency to a big extent. MHK

After formation of the new government led by Awami League, the first ECNEC meeting is going to be held on Tuesday. The meeting will start at 10 am at the NEC conference room at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital. After the meeting Planning Minister M A Mannan will present the detail information. It is known that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will present as the chairperson in the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will present there as the alternative chairperson. Then, what will be there in the new meeting? According to the planning commission source, in the first ECNEC meeting of the new government 9 projects may be placed. Among the proposals there will be Jatrabari (Mayor Hanif Flyover)-Demra (Sultana Kamal Bridge) highway 4-lane upgrade project. The proposed expense is fixed at 368 crore taka. Roads and highways directorate will implement it by June 2022. Besides there is a proposed project called ‘protein based crops production and marketing with a view for poverty alleviation’. In the meeting projects of development for existing seven textile vocational institutions and setting up of six new textile vocational institutions, project of Bangladesh folk art and craft foundation museum building expansion and other infrastructure construction will be presented. Apart from these projects, Gopalganj BSCIC industrial city expansion, connecting road construction for Netrokona district, construction of 9 RCC girder bridge on Gobindaganj-Chhatak-Doarabazar road projects and project for multistoried building construction for poor freedom fighters in every upazila-district will be placed in the meeting. AH      

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a big project to set up a granular urea fertilizer factory at Ghorashal in Polash upazila of Narsingdi district, with an annual production capacity of 9.24 lakh metric tons, involving Taka 10,461 crore in a bid to meet the country’s growing demand for this fertilizer. The approval came from the 9th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Reports BSS. Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said that a total of 20 projects were approved on Tuesday involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 32,524.90 crore. “Of the total project cost, Taka 15,494.37 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh, Taka 11,656.27 crore from the organization’s own fund while the rest Taka 5,374.26 crore from project assistance,” he added. Among the approved 20 projects, 14 are new while six are revised projects. The Planning Minister said the ‘Ghorashal Polash Urea Fertilizer Project’ will be implemented by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Ministry of Industries by June 2022. Out of the total estimated fertilizer factory project cost of Taka 10,460.91 crore, Taka 1,844.19 crore will come from the government while the rest Taka 8,616.72 crore will come from bidders financing. The main project objectives include setting up a new granular urea fertilizer factory at Polash adjacent to the existing Ghorashal Urea Fertilizer Factory Ltd and Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory Ltd under Narsingdi district with a daily production capacity of 2,800 metric tons and annual production capacity of 9,24,000 metric tons. Besides, the new urea fertilizer factory will also aim at meeting the growing demand of fertilizer to ensure food security in the country side by side ensuring smooth supply of fertilizer to the farmers at an affordable cost. Once the project is implemented, it will help save foreign currencies through reducing import of fertilizers alongside generating more employment opportunities in the country. An official at the BCIC told the news agency that the countrywide annual demand of urea fertilizer is in between 26 and 30 lakh metric tons whereas the six fertilizer factories under the BCIC could produce roughly 9-10 lakh metric tons. So, the rest of the deficit (17-20 lakh metric tons) of urea fertilizer is being procured from KAFCO or imported. Apart from these, most of the machineries of the Ghorashal Urea Fertilizer Factory Ltd and Polash Urea Fertilizer Factory Ltd have become dilapidated for which the daily production capacity of these two existing fertilizer factories has now come down to 1,050 metric tons. Under the circumstances, the Ministry of Industries proposed the project and thus got ECNEC approval to set up a modern and high-tech urea fertilizer factory there. The main project operations include setting up a new fertilizer factory with a daily production capacity of 2,800 metric tons, procuring necessary machineries and equipments, necessary land acquisition and setting up rail track for the factory, construction of roads, residential and non-residential buildings, jetty, godown for preserving fertilizer, and setting up customer metering station. Tuesday’s ECNEC meeting also approved a project for transporting fuel oil from Chattogram to Dhaka through pipeline, involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 2,861.31 crore. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources will implement the project by December 2020. The Planning Minister said once the project is implemented, it will be possible to transport fuel oil in lesser time and in a cost-efficient way side by side the system loss in fuel oil transportation will reduce. About the GDP growth, AHM Mustafa Kamal, commonly known as Lotus Kamal, reiterated that the GDP growth may reach around 8.25 percent at the end of the current fiscal year. Meanwhile, the ECNEC greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for receiving two international awards — the IPS International Achievement Award and the 2018 Special Distinction Award for Leadership — for her humanitarian and responsible policy in hosting the Rohingyas and for her far-sighted leadership over the Rohingya issue. AH

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the project of Election Commission (EC) to purchase and use Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the national parliament election is going to be placed in the next meeting of Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). He said this while replying to a question of newsmen at the NEC conference room at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital after holding the ECNEC meeting on Tuesday. Most of the political parties including BNP have expressed immense objection against EVM use in the national election. EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed informed about the plan of using EVM on August 28 at the commission office Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. The EC Secretary said, EC will use EVM in one third constituencies in the national parliament election if everything is okay including reformation of electoral act and opinion of political parties. It will cost about three and half thousand crore taka to purchase the machines. Proposal was sent to planning ministry for approval in this regard. According to EC source, recently EC has sent a project proposal to the planning commission titled ‘Purchase, preserve and use of EVM with a view to enhance more transparency in election management’ with a cost of 3 thousand 821 crore taka. The aim of the project is to make the voting process transparent, errorless, credible and dependent on modern technology. Increase credibility for publishing election results through 1 lakh 50 thousand EVMs in election process. While replying to a question the Planning Minister said, Election Commission has sent project to us for using EVM. It will be placed in the next ECNEC meeting. We will approve the project. Replying to another question Mustafa Kamal said, the money which will be approved for EVM will not be given at a time. It will be given phase by phase. The minister said, we hope that the RPO will be revised. EVM will be used in national election even for experimental basis. But it depends on EC. It will happen the way they want. How the EVM project is going to be placed in ECNEC meeting without verifying any survey Mustafa Kamal said, it needs no survey verification. EC earlier used EVM in election. Now EC has wanted money. We will approve the project. AH       

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) yesterday approved a project to construct some 317 Kilometer "border roads" on hilly frontiers with India and Myanmar along Bangladesh's southeastern hills with a key objective of tightening border security, reports BSS. Briefing newsmen after the meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the construction of the "border roads" in that particular region appeared crucial because of its susceptibility to weapon and drug smuggling and human trafficking. He said the "border roads" on the rugged hilly frontiers would enable Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and other security forces to enforce a tightened vigil and help expansion of trade and commerce in the Southeast Asia and tourism facilities in the hilly areas. "It will facilitate as well marketing of agricultural products to boost economic activities and thus generate employment opportunities for the local people there," the minister said. Kamal said Roads and Highways Department and army's Special Works Organization were entrusted with the task of building the roads by June 2021 in six Upazilas of Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Rangamati hill districts and Cox's Bazar. He said the cost for implementing the project was estimated to be Taka 1,699.85 crore. Bangladesh's southeastern hills have 540 kilometer borders with the two neighboring countries - 330 kilometers with India and 210 with Myanmar. The project will be implemented at Naikhongchhari Upazila of Bandarban, Juraichhari, Borkol and Rajsthali of Rangamati, Ukhia of Cox's Bazar and Baghaichhari of Khagrachhari. Of the proposed 317 kilometer roads, 40 kilometers will be constructed on the Ukhia-Ashartoli-Fooltuli route, 52 kilometers on the Sajek-Shildah- Betling, 95 kilometers on Sajek-Dokanghat-Thegamukh, and 130 kilometers on Thegamukh-Loitongpara-Thachhi-Dumdumia-Rajsthali route. According to the minister, the scheme was one of the 16 projects approved by the ECNEC today involving Taka 9,680.05 crore while of them 12 were new projects and four others were revised ones. This was the 20th ECNEC meeting in the current fiscal, held at the NEC Conference Room at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. The ECNEC approved another project to repair and conduct maintenance works of important 15 district highways under Dhaka zone to ensure smooth road communication. The Roads and Highways Department under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges will implement the project titled 'District highways up-gradation in due standard and width (Dhaka Zone)' with an estimated cost of Taka 558.44 crore. The other projects approved in the meeting are Developing necessary Infrastructures or facilities for conducting the operations of the Paira Deep Sea Port, 1st revised, with Taka 3,350.51 crore, Bhoberchar-Gazaria- Munshiganj district highway widening with due standard involving Taka 80.06 crore, Infrastructural development of Sylhet City Corporation with Taka 547.28 crore, Construction of Headquarters of National Security Intelligence (NSI), 1st revised with Taka 249.59 crore, Construction of residential building for government officials and employees at Noakhali Sadar with Taka 219.05 crore. The other approved projects include Construction of Headquarters for the Bangladesh Post Office, revised with Taka 91.90 crore, Protection and dredging works from Bakshi Lunchghat to Baburhat Lunchghat from the erosion of Tentulia River under Charfashion upazila in Bhola and flood control in Kukri-Mukri island with Taka 523.36 crore, Protecting Lord Hardinge and Dholigouranagar Bazar under Lalmohon upazila of Bhola from the erosion of River Meghna with Taka 432.55 crore. In the meeting the other projects approved are Riverbank Protection of Swarnadip (Jahaijjar Char) from the erosion of River Meghna under Hatia and Subornochar upazilas in Noakhali with Taka 88.62 crore, National crops supply and nutrition security development through enhancing the capacity of Uddyan Unnoyan Bibhagh of BADC with Taka 110.50 crore, Bangladesh land survey education development project with Taka 278.85 crore, Ensuring safe email and establishment of digital literacy centre for Bangladesh government with Taka 116.31 crore, Establishment of Sheikh Hasina national burn and plastic surgery Institute, Dhaka, 1st revised with Taka 912.80 crore and Expansion of National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital with Taka 420.38 crore.   FU