Staff Correspondent: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Monday approved 12 development projects involving an overall expenditure of Taka 7,150.21 crore. The entire amount will be financed from the government's own resources.

The approval came at the 5th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY26) held at the NEC Conference Room on the Planning Commission premises with Chief Adviser and ECNEC Chairperson Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Among the approved projects, eight are new projects, two are revised ones, while two projects received time extensions without cost escalation.

Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud; Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed; Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs and Expatriates' Welfare & Overseas Employment Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul; Home Affairs and Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd); Industries and Housing & Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan; Power, Energy & Mineral Resources, Road Transport & Bridges, and Railways Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan; Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan; Health & Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum; Disaster Management & Relief and Liberation War Affairs Adviser Farooq E Azam, Bir Pratik and Education Adviser Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, among others, attended the meeting while other senior officials were present.

The 12 projects approved in the meeting are under Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (Rural Development & Cooperatives Division) - 2 projects:

"Important Rural Infrastructure Development in Manikganj District" with Taka 450 crore.

"Rural Infrastructure Development in Satkhira District" with Taka 1,930 crore under Ministry of Agriculture - 1 project.

"Improvement of Minor Irrigation System in Haor Areas of Kishoreganj and Netrokona Districts" with Taka 164.94 crore under Ministry of Education - 2 projects.

"Infrastructure Development of Gazipur Agricultural University" with Taka 567.29 crore.

"Establishment of One Engineering College in Each of Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions (2nd revised)" with an additional cost of Taka 394.84 crore under Ministry of Liberation War Affairs - 1 project:

"Construction of Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Udyan, Dhaka (Phase 3) (1st revised)" under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - 3 projects:

"Implementation of the Remaining Activities of Essential Family Planning, Maternal, Child and Reproductive Health Services Under the Completed 4th Sector Programme", 1st revised.

"Integrated Development for Operational Management of the Directorate of Health Education, NIPORT and Directorate of Nursing & Midwifery" with Taka 211.90 crore.

"Implementation of Essential Remaining Activities of PFD, HEF, IFM, HRD and SWPMM" with Taka 1,546.45 crore under Ministry of Defence - 1 project:

"Construction of 'B'-Type Officers' Residential Buildings at Nirjhor Residential Area, Dhaka Cantonment" with Taka 177.80 crore under Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges - 1 project:

"4th Time Extension (2nd revised) for Construction of Kalia Bridge over Nabaganga River at the 21st Kilometer of Narail-Kalia District Highway" under Ministry of Industries - 1 project. and  "BSCIC Industrial Park, Tangail (3rd revised)" with an additional cost of Taka 39.43 crore.

The meeting was also informed about nine projects earlier approved by the Planning Adviser.