The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved eight development projects involving an estimated total cost of BDT 2,266.41 crore.

The approval was granted during the 12th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY26), held at the Cabinet Division Conference Room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presiding over the session.

Out of the total project cost of BDT 2,266.41 crore, the government will finance BDT 2,229.13 crore directly from its own resources, while the remaining BDT 37.28 crore will be provided by the implementing agencies from their respective funds.

According to the Ministry of Planning, the approved initiatives comprise three new projects, three revised projects, and two projects that received tenure extensions, spanning multiple sectors including water resources, transportation, public administration, health, defense, education and energy.

In the water resources sector, ECNEC cleared the maintenance and rehabilitation of the Barisal Irrigation Project (Phase-1).

For the road transport sector, approval was given to upgrade the Anwara–Banshkhali–Toitong–Pekua–Badarkhali–Chakaria (Eidmoni) Regional Highway (R-170) from Kalabibir Dighi to Eidmoni to proper standards and width.

A public administration project was also approved, which entails installing lifts at circuit houses across 33 districts and at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Thakurgaon.

In the healthcare sector, the committee approved the expansion project of the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute under Project-2.

For the defense sector, ECNEC cleared the first revised phase of the project dedicated to constructing a cancer center at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.

The education sector secured approvals for two revised projects aimed at madrasas: continued support for the Madrasa Education Management and Information System (MEMIS) and the establishment of multimedia classrooms in 653 madrasas nationwide.

Meanwhile, in the power and energy sector, a revised project was approved to enhance the capacity of existing grid substations and transmission lines to improve electricity transmission and distribution services.

Planning officials also informed the meeting about six additional smaller-scale projects, each involving an investment of less than BDT 50 crore, which had already been approved by the Planning Minister.

These projects include providing water supply and sanitation facilities in 30 municipalities; waste management and traffic congestion mitigation initiatives under the Dhaka South City Corporation; the expansion of postal services; infrastructure development for the MES Training Cell in Dhaka Cantonment; the second phase of a project aimed at ending child marriage; and the establishment of the Paikgacha Agriculture College in Khulna.

The high-level meeting was attended by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury; LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir; Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud; Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid; Industries, Textiles and Jute, and Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muqtadir; Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam; Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain; Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed; Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher; Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu; Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milon; Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee; State Minister for Public Administration and Food Md. Abdul Bari; State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki; alongside other senior government officials.