ECNEC Meeting Postponed Due to Prime Minister's Japan Visit, Approval of 15 Projects Worth Nearly Tk 9,000 Crore Delayed
The scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has been postponed because of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to Japan. As a result, the approval process for 15 development projects worth nearly Tk 9,000 crore has been delayed.
The meeting was due to be held on Sunday morning at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital. It was to be chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who is also the ECNEC chairperson.
Although 'unavoidable reasons' were officially cited for the postponement, Planning Commission officials said the final decision to postpone the meeting was taken last night mainly because of the prime minister's Japan visit.
The Planning Commission said the prime minister is scheduled to leave for Japan on this evening's flight. Before the visit he has to finish official work on several important files. If the ECNEC meeting had started, it would not have been possible to finish it before lunch. Considering all aspects, the decision was taken to keep the meeting postponed.
A total of 15 development projects had been prepared for presentation at today's ECNEC meeting. Their total cost was estimated at nearly Tk 9,000 crore.
Among the notable projects awaiting approval were the drilling of two appraisal and development gas wells at the Titas gas field — Titas-32 and Titas-33.
The list also included the 'Innovation Climate Smart Urban Development' project and the project to establish Netrokona University.
Other important projects on the list included safe water supply and sanitation in the Barendra region, and development of damaged sections of main roads, drains and footpaths under Dhaka South City Corporation.
In addition, two projects to buy specialised and operational vehicles to increase the capacity of Bangladesh Police, and a project to establish nuclear medicine centres at five medical colleges in the country, had also been fully prepared for presentation for approval.
The prime minister's four-day Japan visit is aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership with Tokyo, increasing trade and attracting large-scale Japanese investment. A bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled during the visit. As a result, amid preparations for the state visit and pressure of official work, a long meeting like ECNEC was not possible this time.
With the meeting postponed, approval of the projects will now wait until the next ECNEC meeting. The start schedules for projects ranging from drilling gas wells at Titas to establishing a university and nuclear medicine centres will be pushed back accordingly.
The Planning Commission has not yet announced a new date for the meeting. Officials have indicated that the same 15 projects will be presented again at the next ECNEC meeting after the prime minister returns from Japan.
