Fund, tenure for Char Fasson protection project extended

The government has amended the project titled Saving Char Fasson of Bhola from Meghna Erosion with an additional fund of Tk69 crore and a one-year extension of its tenure.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday gave its endorsement to spending Tk278 crore, up from Tk209 crore, to implement the project because the project was not completed by last July.

Chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Ecnec approved a total of 12 projects on Tuesday at a cost of about Tk3,470 crore. 

Of the total number of projects, three were approved in the water resources sector at a cost of Tk652.68 crore.

After the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan briefed the media about the details of the approved projects.

Of the total cost, Tk3163.50 crore will come from the government exchequer, while the rest will be collected from foreign sources, said the minister.

The Ecnec approved a project to extend the network of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and modernise the tidal station at a cost of Tk114.89 crore.

A total of Tk853 crore has been allocated for the Thanchi-Rimki-Modok-Likri road construction project, while Tk769.33 crore has been allocated for the construction of the Sunamganj-Madanpur-Dirai-Shalla-Jalsukha-Azmiriganj-Habiganj highway.

A further allocation of Tk249.26 crore has been made for the repair of damaged roads in Rangamati, where retaining walls will be reinforced along with general repairs. 

Around Tk72 crore will be spent in the Khulna Tax Building Construction Project, while more than Tk303 crore will be spent for the Madhumati-Nabaganga sub-project in rehabilitation and the dredging of the Nabaganga river.

Over Tk71 crore has been fixed to protect the left bank of the Meghna River from erosion between Barikandi in Nabinagar upazila and the Dharabhanga MP embankment in Bahmanbaria.

The Ecnec also approved more than Tk175 crore for a project on irrigation extension in Natore.

Around Tk160 crore will be spent in strengthening the Department of Agriculture Marketing, nearly Tk277 crore in enhancing climate adaptation ability among coastal people, particularly women, and more than Tk146 crore will be used in increasing the capacity of the BGD e-GOV CIRT project.

Minister MA Mannan said that in the meeting PM Sheikh Hasina advised taking necessary steps to protect rivers and canals during implementing projects in low-lying regions of Bangladesh.

She also suggested constructing elevated expressways rather than roads in those areas.

Mannan added that the PM also ordered a ban on setting up sluice gates in rivers and canals, and gave instructions for punishing corrupt project officials.