A project to the end was approved of in a meeting of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Jeddah-based Islami Development Bank will pump Tk 840 million in the project. The government will be providing the rest of the money, Secretary to the Planning Division Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam said.
Under the project styled, Improvement of Environment of Education in Selected Madrassas, each of the 95 madrasas chosen will be provided with a one-storied academic building.
Nuclear-plant works to begin
The ECNEC meeting gave the go-ahead to start the primary work of the first nuclear plant of Bangladesh. The Estimated cost of the project has been put at Tk 52.42 billion, with Tk 40 billion loan ($0.5 billion) from Russia.
The government signed a deal with Russia to build the two units of the 2,000MW nuclear plant in Pabna’s Rooppur.
The deal was inked during the Prime Minister’s Moscow visit in January.
The ECNEC approved project will include nuclear power plant site office, residential infrastructure, necessary designs and documentations, the Planning Secretary said.
According to project papers, necessary financial deals will be signed before the start of main construction.
Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam said six other projects were approved in the Tuesday meeting.
One of them, a 300MW combined cycle power plant’ will be established at Shahjibazar in Habiganj at a cost of Tk 28.44 billion within two years. A China-based export credit agency will be providing Tk 19.46 billion for the project.
The other projects deal with 11 secondary educational institutions and six colleges in Dhaka metropolitan, expansion, repair and modernisation of Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Training Complex in Gopalganj’s Kotaliparha, construction of underdeveloped roads, drain retaining wall and culverts in Sylhet City Corporation, establishment of Sheikh Fazilatunnisa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Centre, and conversion of 100MW Baghabari gas turbine power plant to 150MW combined cycle power plant.
The eight projects approved in Tuesday’s ECNEC meeting cost Tk 94.98 billion, OF which Tk 30.34 billion will be provided from the government coffers while the rest would be obtained in aid.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Planning Minister AK Khandker, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and others including Prime Minister’s Advisor were among those present in the Tuesday’s ECNEC meeting.
