ECNEC clears Tk 45,191 cr worth projects
- Update Time : Sunday, 25 January, 2026, 06:18 pm
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Online Desk : The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a wide-ranging portfolio of development initiatives worth Tk 45,191.27 crore, giving the green light to 25 projects spanning healthcare, transport, education, water management, and public safety. The approvals came at the eighth meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for the current fiscal year, held at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
Chief Adviser and ECNEC Chairperson Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus presided over the session. Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud later briefed the media on the outcomes. Of the total allocation, Tk 10,881.40 crore will be financed from government funds, Tk 32,018.09 crore through project loans, and Tk 2,291.78 crore from the implementing agencies’ own resources. Among the approved schemes, 14 are new projects, six are revised, and five involve extensions of implementation time.
A major highlight of the meeting was the approval of a 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital, designed to deliver advanced medical services to people in the northern region and neighbouring countries. The project carries a cost of Tk 2,459.35 crore. Another large health sector initiative, the Health and Nutrition Services Improvement and System Strengthening Project, was approved with an allocation of Tk 8,735.41 crore under the Health Services Division.
Transport and connectivity featured prominently in the approvals. The Road Transport and Bridges Ministry secured clearance for widening and upgrading the Rangamati Manikchhari Mahalchhari Khagrachhari regional highway and for upgrading three regional highways and one district road under the Munshiganj Roads Division. In Chattogram, a revised project to build an elevated expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat International Airport was approved without any increase in cost under the Housing and Public Works Ministry.
The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry received approval for strengthening the existing runway and taxiway at Shah Amanat International Airport, alongside a separate initiative to develop tourism facilities at Parki in Chattogram. Several social development projects were also endorsed. The Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry obtained approval for initiatives promoting women entrepreneurship in sanitation and for improving key rural infrastructure in Cumilla district.
The Primary and Mass Education Ministry was cleared to implement a project aimed at providing alternative education opportunities for out-of-school children. Public safety and law enforcement infrastructure saw new momentum as the Home Ministry secured approval for two projects. These include nationwide construction of police outposts, investigation centres, various specialised police facilities, and the first-phase construction of district offices for the Department of Narcotics Control.
In the rail sector, ECNEC approved a revised project for constructing a single-line dual-gauge railway from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar via Ramu, with an extension from Ramu to Gundum near the Myanmar border.
The Youth and Sports Ministry also received approval for a revised nationwide programme focused on creating employment through freelancing training for educated job seekers across all 64 districts. Education and industry-related initiatives included revised approvals for establishing the Sylhet Textile Engineering College and Sylhet Textile Institute under the Textiles and Jute Ministry. The Agriculture Ministry saw two of its projects approved, covering the Ashuganj Palash Green Project and the third revision of the Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness Project.
Water management emerged as another priority area, with six projects approved under the Water Resources Ministry. These address sustainable river management in Panchagarh and Thakurgaon, dredging and rubber dam construction on the Mahananda River, riverbank protection along the Padma and Tetulia rivers, and integrated water and land resource management to improve livelihoods in the Arial Beel area. A revised project linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was also approved under the Science and Technology Ministry.
In addition, ECNEC was informed about 10 smaller projects, each costing less than Tk 50 crore, which had already been approved by the Planning Adviser. These cover upgrades to government colleges, development at Bangladesh University of Professionals, strengthening of the Education Engineering Department, expansion of Fire Service ambulance services, construction of RAB headquarters, highway improvements in Narail town, and revisions to the Saidpur 150 MW power plant project. During the meeting, one project was also formally renamed as the establishment of the permanent campus of Bangladesh Maritime University.
