UNB, Dhaka :
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a TK 2,935 crore project to build some 556 cyclone shelters to help save the lives of the people of nine coastal districts and their property from natural disasters.
The approval came from an Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 11 development projects were approved at the meeting.
“Of the total project cost, TK 2,176.90 crore will come from the national exchequer, while Tk 23.89 crore from the organisation’s own fund and Tk 4,816.73 crore as project assistance,” he said.
Of the approved 11 projects, 10 are new while one is revised project.
About the multipurpose disaster shelter project, the Planning Minister said the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Ministry of LGRD will implement the project titled ‘Multipurpose Disaster Shelters (MDSP) by December 2021.
Of the total cost of Tk 2,935 crore for the Disaster Shelter project, Tk 10 crore will come from the national exchequer while the rest Tk 2,925 crore from the World Bank as project assistance.
Under the project, some 556 cyclone shelters would be set up in 74 upazilas of nine coastal districts.
The districts to be covered under the project are Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Laxmipur and Noakhali.
Apart from the construction of the 550 new cyclone shelters, there will be development of the existing 450 cyclone shelters, construction or reconstruction of some 550 km cyclone shelters connecting roads alongside the construction or reconstruction of some 500 metres of bridges and culverts on the connecting roads to the cyclone shelters.
The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to the ‘Natural Gas Efficiency Project (Installation of Gas Compressor at Titas, Location-C and Narsingdi Gas Fields)’ with Tk 868 crore. Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited will implement the project by June 2020 under which six wellhead compressors would be set up at Titas and Narsingdi Gas Fields to increase the production and supply of gas from these two gas fields as well as increase gas pressure.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Tk 729 crore as project assistance while the rest of Tk 139 crore will be borne by the state coffer.
The Ecnec meeting approved another project titled ‘Natural Gas Energy Efficiency Project (Installation of Prepaid Gas Meter for KGDCL) project with Tk 246.56 crore as part of the government’s bid to install prepaid gas meters across the country to check the misuse and system loss of gas.
Under the project, the minister said, some 60,000 prepaid household gas meters would be installed in different parts of Chittagong city in two phases, while prepaid gas meters would be installed gradually throughout the country.
Ecnec approved another project to modernise Fire Service and Civil Defense with Tk 198.77 crore to be entirely borne by the national exchequer.
The Planning Minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting reaffirmed that no people in the country would remain homeless as houses would be ensured for the homeless.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina directed the Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary to make a list of the number of homeless people across the country.
The other approved projects at the meeting are construction of passenger ships (two ships) for operating efficient passenger services on Chittagong-Swandip-Hatia-Barisal route project with Tk 51.87 crore, strengthening of first class weather surveillance at 13 river ports in Bangladesh with Tk 45.05 crore, Economic Empowerment of the Poorest in Bangladesh (EEP), 2nd revised, with Tk 1,012.65 crore, establishment of Breed Bank (3rd phase), with Tk 55.42 crore, fisheries development in Rangpur Division project with Tk 50.52 crore, construction of technical training center and hostel at Sonaimuri, Kaliganj, Araihazar and Mathbaria upazilas with Tk 47.75 crore, and mosque-based children and mass education programme (6th phase) with Tk 1,505.93 crore.
Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a TK 2,935 crore project to build some 556 cyclone shelters to help save the lives of the people of nine coastal districts and their property from natural disasters.
The approval came from an Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 11 development projects were approved at the meeting.
“Of the total project cost, TK 2,176.90 crore will come from the national exchequer, while Tk 23.89 crore from the organisation’s own fund and Tk 4,816.73 crore as project assistance,” he said.
Of the approved 11 projects, 10 are new while one is revised project.
About the multipurpose disaster shelter project, the Planning Minister said the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Ministry of LGRD will implement the project titled ‘Multipurpose Disaster Shelters (MDSP) by December 2021.
Of the total cost of Tk 2,935 crore for the Disaster Shelter project, Tk 10 crore will come from the national exchequer while the rest Tk 2,925 crore from the World Bank as project assistance.
Under the project, some 556 cyclone shelters would be set up in 74 upazilas of nine coastal districts.
The districts to be covered under the project are Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Laxmipur and Noakhali.
Apart from the construction of the 550 new cyclone shelters, there will be development of the existing 450 cyclone shelters, construction or reconstruction of some 550 km cyclone shelters connecting roads alongside the construction or reconstruction of some 500 metres of bridges and culverts on the connecting roads to the cyclone shelters.
The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to the ‘Natural Gas Efficiency Project (Installation of Gas Compressor at Titas, Location-C and Narsingdi Gas Fields)’ with Tk 868 crore. Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited will implement the project by June 2020 under which six wellhead compressors would be set up at Titas and Narsingdi Gas Fields to increase the production and supply of gas from these two gas fields as well as increase gas pressure.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Tk 729 crore as project assistance while the rest of Tk 139 crore will be borne by the state coffer.
The Ecnec meeting approved another project titled ‘Natural Gas Energy Efficiency Project (Installation of Prepaid Gas Meter for KGDCL) project with Tk 246.56 crore as part of the government’s bid to install prepaid gas meters across the country to check the misuse and system loss of gas.
Under the project, the minister said, some 60,000 prepaid household gas meters would be installed in different parts of Chittagong city in two phases, while prepaid gas meters would be installed gradually throughout the country.
Ecnec approved another project to modernise Fire Service and Civil Defense with Tk 198.77 crore to be entirely borne by the national exchequer.
The Planning Minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting reaffirmed that no people in the country would remain homeless as houses would be ensured for the homeless.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina directed the Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary to make a list of the number of homeless people across the country.
The other approved projects at the meeting are construction of passenger ships (two ships) for operating efficient passenger services on Chittagong-Swandip-Hatia-Barisal route project with Tk 51.87 crore, strengthening of first class weather surveillance at 13 river ports in Bangladesh with Tk 45.05 crore, Economic Empowerment of the Poorest in Bangladesh (EEP), 2nd revised, with Tk 1,012.65 crore, establishment of Breed Bank (3rd phase), with Tk 55.42 crore, fisheries development in Rangpur Division project with Tk 50.52 crore, construction of technical training center and hostel at Sonaimuri, Kaliganj, Araihazar and Mathbaria upazilas with Tk 47.75 crore, and mosque-based children and mass education programme (6th phase) with Tk 1,505.93 crore.
Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
