Under the directives of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the Secretariat, currently located on Abdul Gani Road in Dhaka, will be shifted to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

In addition, there is a plan to relocate Old Dhaka’s lower courts to the current Secretariat premises.

Earlier on Wednesday, the government took an in-principle decision to relocate the Secretariat during a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The estimated cost of the proposed project is 3,409.44 crore BDT.

However, the project has yet to receive final approval.

Upon completing all necessary preparations, the government aims to inaugurate the construction work by coming December.

According to relevant sources, activities surrounding the Secretariat relocation plan have gained momentum following the Prime Minister’s instructions.

To this end, the Development Project Proposal (DPP) is currently being drafted.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has already finalized the layout and designated the locations for the proposed buildings.

Md. Khalequzzaman Chowdhury, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, told the media, "The Prime Minister has issued instructions regarding the relocation of the Secretariat. Following his directives, implementation of the project is being fast-tracked. The Prime Minister has already reviewed the project layout and offered several recommendations. The work is progressing in line with those inputs."

Officials concerned stated that the project's implementation period has been set from November this year to December 2029.

The Public Works Department has prepared a layout plan defining the building placements.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has taken steps to include the scheme in the unapproved new projects list of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the 2026–27 fiscal year.

Required information has already been submitted to the ministry by the Public Works Department.

According to the plan, the proposal will be presented at an upcoming meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

Once approved, formal steps will be taken to begin construction.

Although the goal is to lay the foundation stone in December, relevant officials express uncertainty over whether all preparations can be completed within the stipulated time.

The Department of Architecture is currently working on the design of the new Secretariat complex.

Officials concerned noted that three alternative designs have been presented to the Prime Minister.

Upon project approval, construction will be executed through the Public Works Department.

Under the preliminary plan, the target for the first phase is to move several ministries to the new location within three years.

However, completing the entire process—including the construction of all buildings, necessary infrastructure development, and transferring all official operations—may take additional time.

Once constructed, the new Secretariat complex will bring a major transformation to the capital’s administrative infrastructure.

Nevertheless, the project's cost, layout design, and implementation schedule still await final approval.