United News of Bangladesh

The government has approved three metro rail projects involving a combined estimated cost of about Tk 2.50 lakh crore including a new MRT Line-5 Southern Route project and revised costs for Japan-funded MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern Route. The projects were approved at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held at Secretariat on Wednesday, with Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman in the chair. The new 17.20-kilometre MRT Line-5 Southern Route connecting Gabtoli with Dasherkandi has been approved at an estimated cost of Tk 45,503.76 crore. Of the amount, the government will provide Tk15,197.66 crore, while Tk 30,306.10 crore will come as project loans from the Asian Development Bank and South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund. The route will include 13.10 kilometres of underground tracks and is scheduled to be implemented from September 2026 to August 2033. The project will pass through Technical intersection, Kalyanpur, Shyamoli, College Gate, Asad Gate, Sukrabad, Karwan Bazar, Hatirjheel, Tejgaon, Aftabnagar, Nasirabad and Dasherkandi. The ECNEC also approved revised cost proposals for MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern Route, both of which were originally approved in 2019. The revised cost of the 31.24-kilometre MRT Line-1 connecting Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with Kamalapur has been set at Tk1,14,394.89 crore, up from the original Tk52,561.43 crore. The increase is Tk61,833.46 crore, or 117.64 percent. Under the revised proposal, the government’s contribution will rise to Tk30,552.26 crore, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan will increase to Tk83,842.63 crore. The revised proposal cited delays in design and tender preparation during the Covid-19 pandemic and complexities associated with implementing the country’s first underground metro rail project as some reasons for the higher cost. Changes during detailed design included larger stations, relocation of station entrances, exits and ventilation shafts, a three-storey Rajarbagh station and around 20 kilometres of detour roads for traffic management during construction. The cost of the 20-kilometre MRT Line-5 Northern Route from Hemayetpur to Bhatara has been revised to Tk 89,848.36 crore from Tk 41,238.54 crore, an increase of Tk48,609.82 crore, or 117.88 percent. The government contribution will rise by 84.22 percent to Tk22,330 crore, while the JICA loan will increase by 131.89 percent to Tk67,518 crore. Hemayetpur-Amin Bazar section of the Northern Route will be elevated, while  Amin Bazar-Bhatara section will run underground through densely populated areas. The project was originally scheduled for completion by 2028. The revised proposal extends the completion target to 2032. The combined original cost of MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern Route was Tk93,799.97 crore. Their combined revised cost now stands at Tk2,04,243.25 crore, an increase of Tk1,10,443.28 crore, or 117.74 percent. The revised combined figure is Tk9,741.84 crore lower than the Tk2,13,985.09 crore proposed earlier by Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited following a reassessment of construction, land development, buildings, electrical and mechanical systems, utility relocation and equipment costs. The ECNEC meeting also approved other development projects from several ministries, including Roads and Highways, Defence, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Railways, Labour and Employment, and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.  

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is set to hold its third meeting of the 2026-27 fiscal year on Wednesday, with a 15-project agenda spanning transport, defence, health, water resources and land management sectors, according to a notice issued by the Planning Division. The meeting will be held at 10:00am at the Cabinet Room of Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairman Tarique Rahman, according to the notice. Under the Physical Infrastructure Division, the committee will examine Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5): Southern Route, to run from September 2026 to August 2033 under the Road Transport and Highways Division. Also on the list are upgradation of district highways under Rajshahi Road Zone and under Chattogram Road Zone in its third phase ,both under the same division. Defence-related infrastructure proposals include the second phase of Barisal Cantonment establishment (July 2026-December 2030) and construction of accommodation and other facilities for naval personnel in the Khulna Naval Zone (July 2026-June 2029), both proposed by the Ministry of Defence. The Khulna Drainage System Development Project (first revised), running since July 2020 through June 2027 under the Local Government Division, is also listed, alongside two railway projects from the Ministry of Railways: the Implementation of Electric Traction Along the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur Section of Bangladesh Railway and the first-revised project for a new dual-gauge railway line from Bogura to Sirajganj. Under the Industries and Energy Division, ECNEC will review the Improved Working Condition and Social Protection for Workers in the Textile and Leather Sector project from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the first-revised upgradation and expansion of the electricity distribution system in Manpura island area under the Power Division. Three proposals fall under the Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division, all from the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Financial Institutions Division: Health System Strengthening through MNCH Services Improvement and NCDs Control ,Integrated Health System Response to Fight Against TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria in Bangladesh ,and Financial Sector Support Project-II or FSSP-II. Rounding off the approval list under the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division are the construction of the Musapur Regulator with integrated flood and river management and drainage improvement of the Chhoto Feni and Bamni rivers, part-1 from the Ministry of Water Resources, and the second-revised Digital Land Management System project, covering digital land surveys in three city corporations, one pourashava and two rural upazilas (July 2018-December 2028) from the Ministry of Land. The notice also lists 15 additional projects already approved by the minister concerned to be placed before ECNEC for information. These include the second-revised Automation of Land Management project and the first-revised construction of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society's national headquarters, both from the Ministry of Land and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief respectively. Also featured are the first-revised Establishing Green Belt at Bhasan Char and Reforestation of areas affected by Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar, from the Ministry of Environment and a project on strengthening research, conservation and development of indigenous poultry from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Infrastructure items on this list include the first-revised establishment of a telecommunication network in economic zones, replacement of ageing and risky bridges in the Rangpur zone, construction of an RDA building from the fifth to tenth floor, construction of a quarter guard and ancillary infrastructure at Jalalabad Cantonment, and preparation of a Digital Elevation (3D) Model of Sylhet division to enhance flood forecasting capacity. Education, social welfare and sports-related projects for information include infrastructure development at Cantonment Public School and College, Saidpur; further infrastructure development at Military Collegiate School, Khulna; the first-revised Strengthening Social Protection for Improved Resilience, Inclusion and Targeting (SSPIRIT) project; and development works at the Barguna and Dinajpur district stadiums. Besides, second-revised drilling of the Sylhet-10 exploration well, under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.  

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved 10 projects but put two others on hold to review possible duplication and overlapping activities with similar projects. State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said this while briefing reporters after the ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. One of the projects kept on hold is the acquisition of two product oil tankers with a capacity ranging from 4,000 to 55,000 deadweight tonnes, estimated to cost Tk 1,457.80 crore from government funds. Saki said the project was deferred as the government is reviewing its possible overlap with another initiative involving the purchase of four similar vessels, for which a memorandum of understanding was signed during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China. He said the Planning Ministry has been working with different ministries to identify similar projects, eliminate duplication and, where possible, merge them into coordinated initiatives. “The review process is now at an advanced stage. The tanker project will be considered again after examining it alongside the similar project so that duplication can be avoided,” he said. The other project put on hold is the “Metro Dhaka Project: Goran Chatbari Retention Pond and Turag River Protection and Conservation Project”, under the Ministry of Water Resources and to be implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board. The project has an estimated cost of Tk 567.04 crore, including a World Bank loan of Tk 424.73 crore and government funding of Tk 142.31 crore. The state minister said the project was deferred in view of an ongoing initiative to prepare an integrated plan covering the rivers and water bodies from the Turag to the Buriganga in Dhaka.  “We have a preliminary understanding that around 11 projects are currently operating in different ways in this area. We need to coordinate these projects and avoid duplication,” the state minister said. He added that the government wants to bring Dhaka’s overall water management and water bodies under a comprehensive plan before taking a final decision on the project. The state minister said the two projects would be reviewed through further meetings before being placed for approval again. The state minister also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman unveiled two volumes of a five-year strategic framework prepared by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Ministry. The GED initiated preparation of the strategic framework after the government assumed office. Its draft was approved on May 18 and subsequently endorsed by the Prime Minister at a meeting of the National Economic Council. The framework has now been finalised and formally unveiled, Saki said.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved 10 projects involving a total cost of Tk 9,333.58 crore. These included six new and four revised projects. Of the total project cost, Tk 8,488.71 crore will come from the government’s own funds, while Tk 936.36 crore will be financed through project loans. The approval came at an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room at the Planning Commission with Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman in the chair. The approved projects include two under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. These are the replacement and reconstruction of unusable structures at Dhaka Medical College and construction of 19 modern hostel buildings for students of 10 medical colleges. The Roads and Highways Department’s project titled “Capacity Development for Smart Maintenance Technology of Bridges under Roads and Highways Department in Bangladesh” was also approved. Two projects under the Ministry of Water Resources involve protecting Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila from erosion along the right bank of the Dharla River and strengthening the coastal embankment at Bashbaria ferry ghat in Sitakunda, Chattogram, and the stretch from the ferry ghat to Kumira ghat. The ECNEC also approved a project for rehabilitation and strengthening of rural roads under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. A project for strengthening the capacity of the Department of Livestock Services was approved under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Two power sector projects were also approved- construction of a 100 MW solar power plant at Madarganj in Jamalpur and expansion and strengthening of electrical infrastructure in the DESCO area of Dhaka. The ECNEC further approved an infrastructure development project for Ramu Cantonment under the Ministry of Defence. Meanwhile, the meeting was informed nine projects costing less than Tk 50 crore that have already been approved by the Planning Minister. The projects include a feasibility study for establishing a BSL-3 laboratory and enhancing vaccine and biologics research capacity, the Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) project, the Sundarbans Protection Project. Besides, expansion of the south-western transmission grid, construction of a 132/33/11 kV underground grid substation in Gulshan, improvement of the electricity distribution system under DPDC, expansion and strengthening of mosque libraries, optimal use of new media for public service delivery, and improvement of pre-primary and primary education in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh district and Bhahashan Char of Noakhali district.

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) got underway on Wednesday morning with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. The meeting began at 10:00am at the Cabinet Division in the Bangladesh Secretariat, said a press release issued by the Prime Minister's Press Wing.  

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved eight development projects involving an estimated cost of Tk 2,266.41 crore. The approval came at an ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman at the Cabinet Division of Secretariat. Of the total project cost, the government will provide Tk 2,229.13 crore while implementing agencies will contribute Tk 37.28 crore from their own funds. Among the approved projects, three are new and three revised while two projects granted time extensions. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Ministry officials said the approved projects cover the sectors of water resources, transport infrastructure, public administration, health, education and power. Among the major projects approved was the first-phase maintenance and rehabilitation of the Barishal Irrigation Project under the Ministry of Water Resources. The meeting also cleared a project to upgrade the Anwara-Banshkhali-Toitong-Pekua-Badarkhali-Chakaria (Idmani) regional highway to the required standard and width. A project for installing lifts at circuit houses and deputy commissioners’ offices in 33 districts, including Thakurgaon, was also approved. In the health sector, ECNEC approved the second phase of the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Expansion Project. The committee also approved the first revised project for the expansion of existing grid substations and transmission lines under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. Other approved schemes include the second phase of the Cancer Centre construction project at CMH Dhaka, the third revision of the Madrasa Education Management and Information System (MEMIS) Support Project, and the third revision of a project to establish multimedia classrooms in 653 madrasas across the country. During the meeting, ECNEC was also informed about six projects costing less than Tk 50 crore each that had already been approved by the Planning Minister. These include revised projects on water supply and sanitation services in 30 municipalities, waste management and mechanised parking facilities in areas under Dhaka South City Corporation, expansion of postal services, infrastructure development of the MES Training Cell at Dhaka Cantonment, the second phase of a child marriage prevention initiative, and the revised Paikgachha Agricultural College establishment project in Khulna. Several ministers and senior government officials attended the meeting.

Two days before the placement of the national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) was held on Tuesday. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting, which began at 10:00am at the Public Administration Conference Room of the Cabinet Division at Secretariat and concluded at 1:15pm, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Agriculture Minister Aminur Rashid Yasin, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, among others, attended the meeting. State ministers, advisers and secretaries of different ministries were also present. Senior officials from the relevant ministries and agencies placed and discussed various development project proposals at the meeting. The national budget for FY2026-27 is scheduled to be placed in Parliament on June 11 by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. Earlier, on May 18, the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, approved an Annual Development Programme (ADP) involving an outlay of Tk 308,924.83 crore for the next fiscal year. Before that, on May 12, ECNEC approved nine major projects, including the Padma Barrage Project involving an expenditure of more than Tk 33,000 crore.

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is underway with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. The meeting began on Tuesday morning at the Public Administration Conference Room of the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat, said a release issued by the Prime Minister's Press Wing. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman, and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, among other ECNEC members, have joined the meeting. Senior officials from the relevant ministries and agencies are also present to place and discuss various development project proposals. The meeting is expected to consider a number of projects from different sectors aimed at supporting the country's economic growth and development.

The government on Wednesday approved a Tk 33,474.45 crore project to build the first phase of the Padma Barrage, aiming to revive drying river systems, reduce salinity intrusion and improve irrigation and water management in vast Padma-dependent regions. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved the project titled “Padma Barrage (1st Phase)”following endorsement by the Planning Commission. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting held at Secretariat. The project will be implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board under the Ministry of Water Resources at an estimated cost of Tk 33,474.45 crore entirely from government funding. According to project documents, the implementation period has been set from July 2026 to June 2033. PM chairs ECNEC meeting at secretariat The project area will cover 19 districts across Khulna, Dhaka, Rajshahi and Barishal divisions, targeting restoration of several major river systems including the Hisna-Mathabhanga, Gorai-Madhumati, Chandana-Barashia, Baral and Ichamati rivers. Officials concerned said the proposed barrage is expected to play a critical role in addressing long-standing water management challenges in the country’s southwest and northwest regions, where reduced dry-season flow of the Padma River has severely affected agriculture, fisheries, navigation, forestry and biodiversity. The project is also aimed at reducing salinity intrusion in Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat districts, ensuring freshwater supply for the Sundarbans ecosystem and mitigating waterlogging in areas including Bhobodah in Jashore through dredging and drainage improvement works. According to the proposal, the key objectives of the project include reviving five river systems, restoring ecological balance in the Sundarbans, enhancing groundwater recharge, reducing arsenic contamination, improving irrigation facilities and creating employment opportunities through planned land development activities. The proposed infrastructure package includes construction of a 2.1-kilometre main Padma Barrage along with associated structures such as 78 sluice gates, 18 undersluices, fish passes, navigation locks, guide embankments and approach embankments. The project also includes construction of off-take structures at Gorai, Chandana and Hisna rivers, along with spillways, navigation and fish passage facilities. In addition, two hydropower plants with a combined generation capacity of 113 megawatts are planned under the scheme. Of these, a 76.4MW hydropower plant will be constructed alongside the main barrage, while another 36.6MW plant will be installed at the Gorai off-take point. Major river restoration works under the project include dredging of 135.60 kilometres of the Gorai-Madhumati river system and re-excavation of 246.46 kilometres within the Hisna river system. An additional 180 kilometres of afflux embankments are also proposed to support water regulation and flood management. According to project  documents thePadma-dependent area covers nearly 37 percent of Bangladesh and accommodates roughly one-third of the country’s population. The government linked the region’s deteriorating river flow situation to the diversion of dry-season water upstream through the Farakka Barrage, constructed in India during the 1970s to maintain navigability of the Kolkata port through the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system. Officials said reduced flow in the Padma over the decades has caused many distributary rivers in southwest and northwest Bangladesh to dry up during the lean season, leading to declining agricultural productivity, fisheries depletion, ecological stress and increased salinity in coastal districts. The project proposal stated that freshwater scarcity has also adversely affected the Sundarbans, threatening biodiversity and forest resources in the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem. The Planning Commission observed that implementation of the project would increase dry-season flow in the Padma River by conserving water through the barrage system, thereby helping revive major river networks and improving irrigation, drainage and flood resilience in the affected regions. The proposal was reviewed at a Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting held on Jan 15, 2026 under the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division of the Planning Commission. Following the review, the commission recommended the project for ECNEC approval with full government financing.  

The government has constituted the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), the country’s highest body for approving public investment projects, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as its chairman. The committee was formed through a gazette notification issued on Thursday, outlining its composition, supporting officials and scope of responsibilities. According to the notification, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of ECNEC. Ecnec approves Tk 244.14 cr project to enhance disaster resilience The other members of the committee include Finance Minister, Housing and Public Works Minister, Foreign Minister, Industries, Housing and Public Works Minister, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Health and Family Welfare Minister, and Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister. The Planning Minister will serve as a member of the committee, while the Secretary of the Planning Division will act as the Member-Secretary. The gazette also specified a group of senior officials who will assist the committee in its functions. These include the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary or Secretary, Secretaries of the Finance Division, Economic Relations Division, Statistics and Informatics Division, Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division, and Planning Division. 1000-bed Bangladesh–China Friendship Hospital, 24 other projects get ECNEC nod Secretaries from relevant ministries and divisions will also participate in committee proceedings when required. ECNEC is empowered to review, consider and approve all development project proposals, including Development Project Proposals (DPPs), Technical Assistance Project Proposals (TPPs), and revised project proposals. It will also examine and approve investment projects involving government funding exceeding Tk 50 crore, based on recommendations from the relevant appraisal committees. Besides, the committee will review the implementation progress of ongoing development projects to ensure timely completion and effective utilisation of public funds. ECNEC will also consider investment proposals from private sector entities, joint ventures and state-owned enterprises that require government approval or policy support. As the apex executive body for approving development projects, ECNEC plays a crucial role in implementing the government’s Annual Development Programme (ADP) and advancing national economic priorities through coordinated planning and oversight.