The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) with prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on Tuesday approved 11 development projects involving Tk 2,318 crore, including construction of Inland Container Terminal at Ashuganj port at a cost of Tk 246 crore.
Answering a question, the planning minister said the container terminal at Ashuganj port would be constructed for the self-interest of the country, adding that India may use the port in future by paying charges or fees.
The project will be implemented by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority under the shipping ministry. Of the total cost of the project, Tk 219 crore will be borne from India’s $1 billion line of credit, while Tk 27 crore from the government exchequer.
The project may be started in January next year and will be completed by June 2013. On completion of the works, the port will be used to give trans-shipment facility to India.
The ECNEC meeting also approved three railway sector projects under the $1 billion Indian line of credit.
These are procurement of 30 BG diesel electric locomotives (Tk 608 crore), procurement of 10 sets (3 units in 1 set) of Diesel Electric Multiple Unit for the Bangladesh Railways (Tk 331 crore) and procurement of 100 MG Bogie tank wagons and 5 MG brake vans including air brake equipments for transportation of fuel for aircrafts (Tk 77 crore).
The other projects approved in the meeting were introduction of machine readable passports and machine readable visas in Bangladesh (revised) project (Tk 479 crore); construction of bail man hanger including synthetic turf for indoor training at the BKSP (Tk 44 crore); construction of swimming pool and gymnasium at Gopalganj sadar, development of Sheikh Kamal Stadium, repair and renovation of the old district stadium and construction of women’s sports complex (Tk 98 crore); construction of two new district stadiums in Chuadanga and Habiganj, further development of four district stadiums and two women’s sports complexes (Tk 98 crore); development of Jessore Science and Technology University Phase-1 (Tk 39 crore); and establishing PTIs at Jhalakati, Shariatpur, Narayanganj, Lalmonirhat, Gopalganj, Dhaka, Sherpur, Narail, Meherpur, Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rajbari (248 crore); and construction of 8 PC guarder bridges and 2 RCC box culverts on different kilometers of Hemayetpur-Singair-Manikganj road (Tk 50 crore).
[based on UNB]