DHAKA: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a total of 14 projects with an outlay of Taka 16,972.24 crore.

The approval came from current government’s 136th ECNEC meeting (26th meeting of the outgoing fiscal year (FY18)) chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at NEC conference room on Thursday (June 21).

After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told reporters that of the 14 projects, nine are new and five are modified projects.

Kamal said a project titled ‘Bangladesh e-Passport and formulation of automated border control management’ at an estimated cost of Taka 4,635.91 crore was also approved among the 14.

The Department of Immigration and Passports under the Security Service Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs will implement the project from July 2018 to June 2028 entirely borne by the state exchequer.

The Planning Minister said the e-passport project has been undertaken to fulfill various international demands as many countries in the world nowadays do not accept Machine Readable Passports (MRPs).

Moreover, an additional Tk 1,400 core funding for the much-hyped Padma Bridge project has also been approved for for acquiring some additional 1,162.67 hectares of land. 

BDST: 1730 HRS, JUNE 21, 2018
AP/SMS