DHAKA, Oct 31, 2023 (BSS) – The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 10,797.09 crore project for transforming the Chattogram-Dohazari meter gauge railway track into dual gauge in a bid to ensure safe, fast and uninterrupted rail communication in that region.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC with its chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that the day’s meeting approved a total of 37 projects involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 52,612 crore.

“Of the total project cost, Taka 21,546.77 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 1,496.83 crore from the concerned organization’s own fund while the rest of Taka 29,568.40 crore as project assistance,” he added.

State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present at the briefing.

Bangladesh Railway under the Ministry of Railways will implement the transformation of Chattogram-Dohazari meter gauge rail line into dual gauge by June 2028 with Taka 7,085.64 crore loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The project aims to ensure safe, fast and uninterrupted rail communication between the tourism city Cox’s Bazar with Chattogram.

The main project operations include transformation of 80.76 kilometer track into dual gauge, installing computer based interlocking signal and interlocking, reconstruction of three station buildings and renovation of 14 station buildings, reconstruction of 20 major bridges and 68 minor bridges, three rail overpasses, procurement of 30 meter gauge diesel electric locomotives.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Rejuvenating River Ichamati under Pabna district with Taka 1,554.90 crore; River Jamuna sustainable management project-1: riverbank protection and river training (component-1) with Taka 873.27 crore; Protecting Talbaria area under Mirpur upazila and Komorkandi area under Shilaidah union of Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district from the erosion of River Padma with Taka 1,471.98 crore; Producing safe vegetables, fruits and flowers through water-efficient irrigation technology and building Polyshed with Taka 210.47 crore; Rangpur division agriculture and rural development, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 78.70 crore; Local government initiative on climate change (LOGIC), 2nd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 110.46 crore; Sylhet division rural access road development, 3rd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 20.91 crore; Rural infrastructural development of Naogaon district with Taka 1,100 crore; Rural infrastructural development of Magura district with Taka 490 crore; Rural infrastructural development of Joypurhat district with Taka 499.90 crore; Establishment of multimedia classrooms at 653 madrasahs of the country, 3rd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 1.37 crore; Enhancing capacity of Bangladesh Public Service Commission Secretariat including establishment of seven regional offices, 2nd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 11 crore; National Academy for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NAAND), 3rd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 308.26 crore; Learning Acceleration in Secondary Education (LAISE) with Taka 3,304.08 crore; Ensuring offsite water supply facilities at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant with Taka 241.77 crore; Establishment of BSTI regional offices in 10 districts with Taka 433.12 crore; Installation of Smart Prepaid gas meters, SCADA & GIS at PGCL Franchise Area with Taka 681.33 crore; Gas Sector Efficiency Improvement & Carbon Abatement project (Installation of Smart Prepaid Gas Meter for TGTDCL) with Taka 3,542.71 crore; Smart Metering Energy Efficiency Improvement Project (Installation of Prepaid Gas Meter for TGTDCL) with Taka 2,114.03 crore.

The remaining projects approved in the meeting are: Installation of Single Point Mooring (SPM) with double pipe line, 4th revised, with an additional cost of Taka 1,173.56 crore; Bogura-Rangpur-Syedpur gas transmission pipeline erection project, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 111.58 crore; Construction of bridge over Meghna-Dhonagoda river on Uttar Gozaria road in Matlab with Taka 4,174.68 crore; Construction of Mirganj Bridge over River Arial Kha on the 8th kilometer of Rahmatpur-Babuganj-Muladi-Hijla highway with Taka 1,442.60 crore; Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway improvement project with Taka 8,556.17 crore; Upgrading Karnaphuli Tunnel including Anwara Upazila connecting road into four-lane, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 74.68 crore; Upgrading Chaturi (Choumuhuni)-CUFL-Karnaphuli Drydock (Marine Academy)-Fakirnirhat (N-121) national highway into due standard and width with Taka 584.20 crore; River Jamuna sustainable management project-1 (navigational channel development) with Taka 620.41 crore; Procuring vessels for enhancing the capacity of Bangladesh Coast Guard with Taka 2,314.83 crore; Expanding the operations of ambulance services of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense (phase-2) with Taka 97.78 crore; Constructing multipurpose building at Officers’ Club, Dhaka, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 195.39 crore; Constructing rail line from Khulna to Mongla Port with a reduced cost of Taka 35.18 crore;  Construction of dual gauge single line on Joydevpur-Ishwardi Section, engineering services related technical assistance with Taka 166.74 crore; Road development from Rayer Bazar sluice gate to steel bridge with Taka 974.59 crore; Amin Bazar Landfill extension and modernization, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 485.77 crore; Strengthening regulatory system for vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutics with Taka 613.45 crore and Establishment of Essential Biotech and Research Center, Gopalganj with Taka 3,124.40 crore.

At the very outset of the ECNEC meeting, the Planning Minister handed over a 124-page publication of the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) titled “15 years of Success: 2009-2023” to the Prime Minister.