The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday sanctioned 13 development initiatives with an aggregate estimated expenditure of BDT 15,823.57 crore, encompassing major schemes across flood control, river management, public health, land administration, rural road networks, the expansion of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and national power infrastructure.

Regarding financial allocation, BDT 10,118.33 crore will be financed directly through government funds, BDT 5,252.96 crore will be drawn from project loans, and the remaining BDT 382.28 crore will be provided by the respective implementing agencies' own funds.

The approvals were granted during an ECNEC meeting convened at the Cabinet Room of the Secretariat, presided over by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman.

Among the 13 approved initiatives, eight represent entirely new developments, three are revised proposals, and two entail extensions of their respective implementation periods.

Within the public health domain, the meeting approved two ventures under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: the "Integrated Health System Response to Fight Against TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria in Bangladesh" project and the first revised proposal for establishing the Patuakhali Medical College and Hospital.

Additionally, the Finance Ministry's Financial Sector Support Project-II (FSSP-II) secured official clearance.

Under the purview of the Ministry of Social Welfare, ECNEC endorsed an initiative to develop and enlarge existing physical disability training centers located across Chattogram, Khulna and Rajshahi divisions, alongside expanding hostel accommodations at the specialized institute for children with intellectual disabilities situated at Roufabad in Chattogram.

Two key water resources ventures received approval: an integrated flood and river management program aimed at improving drainage systems within the Chhoto Feni and Bamni river basins—including the construction of the Musapur Regulator—and a dedicated erosion protection project for the Shibpur, Dhania, and Medua regions under Bhola Sadar and Daulatkhan upazilas along the Meghna River.

The Ministry of Land secured approval for a second revised project aimed at establishing digital land management frameworks through comprehensive digital land surveys across three city corporations, one municipality, and two rural upazilas.

Furthermore, two development projects under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives were sanctioned, targeting the widening and strengthening of key upazila and union road corridors throughout Rangpur Division as well as general rural infrastructure upgrading in Madaripur, Shariatpur, and Rajbari districts.

In aviation and law enforcement infrastructure, ECNEC authorized the third revised phase of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Expansion Project (Phase I) and passed the second revised project focused on upgrading the technical and technological capacity of the Special Response Battalion (SRB), formerly known as RAB.

Two power and energy initiatives were also approved, comprising land acquisition for a solar power facility in Sonagazi, Feni district, alongside a broad extension of the electrical distribution network across three hill districts.

During the session, ECNEC was formally apprised of 15 minor projects—each costing under BDT 50 crore—that had previously been authorized directly by the Planning Minister.

These smaller initiatives include infrastructure expansion at Bangladesh International School and College, Nirjhor, Dhaka Cantonment; infrastructure construction at BAF Shaheen College, Kurmitola; facility development at Alikadam Cantonment Public School and College; the establishment and structural development of government primary schools across the Dhaka metropolitan region and Purbachal; and the creation of regional BSTI offices across 10 districts.

The list of pre-approved projects further encompasses the first revised Rupsha 800MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project, development works at the Mirpur UCEP Institute for Labour and Employment, the first revised Climate-Smart Agriculture and Water Management project, flood defense and riverbank stabilization along the Dharla River in Kurigram, riverbank protection on both sides of the Kushiyara River adjacent to the Bibiyana power plants in Habiganj road and drainage network construction in Mymensingh City Corporation, safe water supply and sanitation programs in 23 municipalities, the upgrading of the Bhuyapur-Tarakandi regional highway, and a municipal project designed to deliver treated surface water via pipelines while upgrading sanitation infrastructure in Chapainawabganj Municipality.