UNB, Dhaka :The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the construction of Khan Jahan Ali Airport project with an outlay of around Tk 545 crore, aiming to expand trade and commerce as well as tourism in greater Khulna region.The approval came from the 26th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 10 development projects were approved yesterday with Tk 1,910.28 crore.”Of the total project cost, Tk 1,795.82 crore will come from the national exchequer while the rest of Tk 114.46 crore from the organisation’s own fund,” he said adding that of the approved 10 projects, eight are new schemes while two are revised projects.The Planning Minister said the Civil Aviation Authority will implement the Airport Construction Project by June 2018 where the government would provide Tk 490 crore out of the total project cost of Tk 545 crore. The rest of the fund of Tk 54 crore would come from the own fund of Civil Aviation authority.Highlighting the importance of setting up Khan Jahan Ali airport, AHM Mustafa Kamal said establishment of fast communication network would be needed in this greater Khulna region to expand trade and commerce centering the Mongla Port, EPZ, Shrimp industry and Rampal Power Plant.Since the distance of proposed Khan Jahan Ali Airport in Khulna would be 20 kilometres away both from Khulna town and Mongla Port, there would be further expansion of tourism in the region centering the world’s largest mangrove forest the Sundarbans, Shat Gombuj Masjid (sixty-dome mosque) and the mazar of Khan Jahan Ali.Once the works on the airport are completed, it will be possible to distribute relief items fast in the coastal areas in case of any natural disaster.Under the project, there will be land acquisition of 163 hectares, 7,20,173 cubic metres of land development, construction of 2,04,153 square metres of runway and taxiway alongside construction of 18,564 square metres residential buildings.The Planning Minister said the Airport would fulfill the long-cherished demand of the people of Khulna region.He said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also directed the authorities concerned for keeping the scope of setting up a three-star hotel there to facilitate holding of international sports and games.The Ecnec meeting gave nod to another project titled ‘Construction and improvement of Roads, Drains and footpaths of Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara diplomatic areas’ with Tk 200 crore to be implemented by the Dhaka North City Corporation under the Local Government Division by June 2017. AHM Mustafa Kamal said the project would be a maiden one for the newly elected Mayor Annisul Huq. He also said the Dhaka South City Corporation would get a new project soon.He also informed that more projects would be undertaken for both the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations in the coming days in consultation with the respective mayors to address the existing problems.Under the project, there will be construction of 40 kilometres of new roads, development of 56 kilometres of footpaths, construction of 25 kilometres pipe drains and 55 kilometres of open drains since most of the roads, drains and footpaths in this project area are in dilapidated condition.
