Govt gives nod to Tk 4,507cr projects

The government yesterday approved six development projects involving Tk 4,507 crore.
Of the total cost, Tk 1,431 crore will come from the government's own fund and the remaining Tk 3,076 crore as project assistance from development partners.
The approval came at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council at the planning ministry, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The government would develop about 1,000 kilometres of roads at unions and upazilas, rehabilitate 300 kilometres of roads at upazila level and construct about 3,000 metres of bridge/culverts at upazila and union level under Northern Bangladesh Integrated Development Project.
Besides, development of 70 'growth centres' and 74 haat-bazaars and maintenance of nearly 1,300 kilometres of roads have also been included in the project.
The project cost stands at Tk 2,706 crore, of which Tk 2,128 crore will come from Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
The committee also approved another revised project to widen and reconstruct 118 bridges and culverts on 12 national and regional highways to ensure safe communications.
About 4,500 metres of bridges and culverts would be constructed under the Eastern Bangladesh Bridge Improvement Project at a cost of Tk 1,188 crore.
The other projects approved in the meeting are: establishment of Jessore Software Technology Park at Tk 48 crore; construction of Bangla Academy staff quarters at Tk 53 crore; rehabilitation and expansion of existing supervisory control and data acquisition system of national gas grid under Gas Transmission Company Ltd at Tk 294 crore.
The government will also develop Gournadi-Agaljhara-Paysarhat-Kotalipara-Gopalganj including Gopalganj bus terminal link road (first revised) at Tk 218 crore.