The
Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on
Tuesday approved nine projects with an estimated cost of Taka
13,639.01 crore (136.93 billion) including one for enhancing the
capacity of Mongla Port at a cost of Taka 6,014.62 crore. ECNEC
Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the projects
at a meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the planning commission
in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. Cabinet Ministers and State
Ministers, Planning Commission members attended the meeting while
Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present. Planning
Minister MA Mannan later told reporters that the government would
provide Taka 8,886.44 crore of the budgeted cost and Taka 293.16 crore
will come from the concerned organization's own fund. The remaining fund
of Taka 4,459.41 crore will come from project assistance. All the nine
projects are new projects. Mannan said Mongla Port Authority will
implement the Mongla Port capacity building project in a bid to ensuring
all modern shipping facilities for port users.
Mongla Port project
will get Taka 1,555.21 crore from the government exchequer while the
remaining Taka 4,459.41 crore from the Indian Line of Credit. The new
capacity building aims at meeting the growing local demand of container
handling, in addition to meeting demands of importers from India, Nepal
and Bhutan. Planning Commission officials said once this project is
implemented, it would be possible to handle additional 15 million tons
of cargo and 4,00,000 TEUs of containers. They said Mongla Port
upgradation has been taken considering the upgradation of
Dhaka-Mawa-Mongla Highway. Special economic zone adjacent to the Mongla
Port, Padma Bridge construction, Khan Jahan Ali International Airport,
Extension of Mongla EPZ, construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant
also necessitated the port's capacity enhancement. Major work
components at Mongla Port include construction of container terminals at
Jetty Number 1 and 2 of the port, construction of container handling
yard and container delivery yard, construction of service vessel jetty,
shed and office, extension of port building, MPA tower, port residential
complex, mechanical workshop, equipment yard, and marine workshop
complex. More scanner machines at the ports and in other areas to be
set up to ensure a strong waste management system as well as setting up
Central Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) where it is necessary. It also
includes constructing modern slaughter houses in the cities and towns. Mannan
said the Prime Minister also suggested for considering proposals from
foreign firms or entrepreneurs to produce power from waste. The other
projects approved in the meeting are Rajshahi metropolis city
integrated infrastructures development with Taka 2,931.62 crore, Freedom
Fighter late Alhaj Kamal Uddin Road Development in Noakhali district
with Taka 282.11 crore, Upgrading Karnaphuli Tunnel link road including
Anwara upazila link road with Taka 407.08 crore. They also include
Shariatpur-Janzira-Naodoba (Padma Bridge approach road) development
with Taka 1,682.55 crore, Modernization of ports with necessary
facilities at Paturia and Daulatdia with Taka 1,351.70 crore, Protecting
the left river bank of Padma under Charghat and Bagha upazilas in
Rajshahi with Taka 722.24 crore. Projects also include Integrated
Livestock Development at now defunct enclaves and char areas with
Taka 128.96 crore and Integrated Livestock Development at Haor areas
with Taka 118.13 crore.