Today, ECNEC Chairperson and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus presided over the 12th ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in Dhaka. Photo: PID

DHAKA, July 27, 2025 (BSS) - The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a total of 12 projects involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 8,149.38 crore, including one for further development of the University of Dhaka at a cost of Taka 2,840.39 crore.

The approval came from the 12th ECNEC meeting of the interim government and also the 1st meeting in the current fiscal year (FY26) held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. 

ECNEC Chairperson and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus presided over the meeting.

Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud briefed reporters after the meeting.

Of the total estimated cost of Taka 8,149.38 crore, Taka crore 8,058.77 will come from the government of Bangladesh, Taka 143.33 crore will come as project assistance while the remaining Taka 52.72 crore from the concerned organization's own fund.

Of the approved 12 projects, six are new, four are revised while two projects witnessed time extension without increasing the cost.

Regarding the project related to the development of the University of Dhaka, the Planning Adviser said that after the changeover of power, the new administration to the University of Dhaka was suggested to prepare a 'Master Plan' for the development of this university.

In continuation of this, he said, this big project has been undertaken under which academic buildings, residential buildings, dormitories for the male and female students, stadium and swimming pool would be built and renovated to meet the growing demand.

The Adviser said that the ECNEC meeting has given directives that the residential facilities for the female students should be proportionately higher while the historical sites and structures of Dhaka University like the SM Hall and the Curzon Hall should be preserved properly.

"I feel very much happy since this project got approval and I hope this will be implemented in a nice way for the development of the University of Dhaka," he added.

The Planning Adviser said that under this project, the buildings on the Dhaka University campus would be multi-storey so that optimum utilization of land is ensured.

Under the development of Dhaka University project, there will be construction of six academic buildings, four female residential halls, five male residential halls, two residential buildings for teachers and officers, and five other buildings. 

Referring to the project inspection report of IMED, Dr Mahmud said that they would expect a full-fledged report from the IMED to ascertain why many contractors fled the scene after the changeover of power, how much the concerned project directors are liable for this, whether investigations were carried out to that end, why the contractors often received full payments before the projects were completed during the previous regime and to determine the actual loss of the government for such malpractices.

Terming the Bus Rapid Transit project from Gazipur to Airport as an unplanned mega project, the Planning Adviser suggested that a committee could be formed with the experts from different ministries and concerned sectors to identify how this project was proposed, who framed the project documents and whether any feasibility study was carried out properly in this regard to determine the rationality of the project.

Besides, he said, a proposal is also there to use the BRT lanes as rapid lane and thus realizing toll.

The meeting, however, withdrew a proposal for constructing flats for the families of the martyrs of the July uprising since the draft project proposal would be evaluated further before giving approval.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: 
Establishment of 20 Fire Service and Civil Defence Stations (12 New and 8 Reconstruction) in important locations of the country at a cost of Taka 650.96 crore, Development of Logistics and Fleet Maintenance Facilities for Bangladesh Coast Guard (2nd Revised) at an additional cost of Taka 173.21 crore, Rural Sanitation Project involving Taka 1,989.82 crore, Excavation of Canal from Bahaddarhat Baroipara to Karnaphuli River (3rd Revised) at a reduced cost of Taka 19.40 crore, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Railway Lines in the Eastern Region of Bangladesh Railway forTaka 1,791.66 crore, Construction of Officers' Mess and BOQ for DSCSC at Mirpur Cantonment (1st Revised) at an additional cost of Taka 75.45 crore, Road Construction Along the Bank of the Karnaphuli River from Kalurghat Bridge to Chaktai Canal (2nd Revised) with an additional cost of Taka 469.15 crore, Income Generating Activities (IGA) Training for Women at Upazila Level (Phase 2) for Taka 395.83 crore, 
Expansion of Museum Building and Construction of Other Infrastructure of Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation (1st Revised) at an additional cost of Taka 12.89 crore, Strengthening of Research on Tuber Crops at a cost of Taka 100 crore and Smart Pre-Payment Metering Project in Distribution Zones of BPDB (1st Revised) at an additional cost of Taka 151.43 crore.

Besides, the ECNEC meeting was apprised about 18 projects which were approved earlier by the Planning Adviser.

Apart from these, the ECNEC meeting also changed the titles of two projects.

Advisers concerned attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.