PM chairs 10th ECNEC meeting

The 10th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for fiscal year 2025-26 began at the Bangladesh Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday morning (April 26).

The meeting started at 11am in the Cabinet Division conference room, with cabinet members, Planning Commission officials, and senior government representatives in attendance.

Planning Ministry sources said 17 development projects with an estimated total cost of nearly Tk 7,000 crore are being presented for approval.

The proposed projects include four under socio-economic infrastructure, two in agriculture, water resources and rural institutions, and 11 in physical infrastructure.

The projects focus on improving road connectivity, modernising irrigation systems, expanding rural infrastructure, and enhancing urban facilities.

Major initiatives include regional road development, rural water resource management, bridge construction, and urban infrastructure expansion.

Officials said implementation of these projects is expected to create jobs, increase productivity, and strengthen local economies.

Additionally, 33 projects already approved by the Planning Minister are being placed before ECNEC for information, mainly concerning revised plans and progress updates of ongoing development works.

At the government’s first ECNEC meeting on April 6, six projects worth Tk 483.43 crore were approved. Although 19 projects were initially scheduled, only eight were discussed due to time constraints, with the remaining projects carried forward to Sunday’s meeting.

In a notable shift from tradition, the meeting is being held at the Secretariat instead of the usual NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, reportedly due to the Prime Minister’s schedule and administrative convenience.

Economists say the focus on infrastructure and agricultural investment comes at a crucial time, as Bangladesh seeks sustainable economic growth amid ongoing global economic challenges.