ECNEC approves 8 projects worth Tk 2071.80cr
Sylhet Osmani International Airport to be modernised
STAFF REPORTER
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) yesterday approved a project to increase the strength of the existing runway and taxiway of Sylhet Osmani International Airport, at an estimated cost of Tk 451.98 crore. The project aims to modernise the airport.
The approval came at the ECNEC meeting for the current fiscal year, held at the NEC conference room in the citys Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of eight projects was approved today, entailing an overall estimated cost of Tk 2,071.80 crore. The entire overall project cost would come from the state exchequer, he added.
Of the eight projects approved, seven are new, while one is a revised one.
Mustafa Kamal disclosed that the implementation rate of the annual development programme (ADP) during the JulyJanuary period of the current fiscal year reached 32.41 per cent, with an overall expenditure of Tk 39,973 crore. The status of implementation of the ADP in the JulyJanuary period of the last fiscal year was 28 per cent, with an overall expenditure of Tk 28,750 crore.
He said such ADP expenditure during this seven-month period is the highest in the history of Bangladesh.
The planning minister said the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority, under the civil aviation and tourism ministry, would implement the project to strengthen Sylhet Airport by December 2018 entirely with government funds. He added that the main objective of the project was to strengthen the existing runway and taxiway of Sylhet Osmani International Airport so that big aircraft like Boeing-777 could safely land and take off from this airport.
Under the project, some 206,824 square metres of the runway and taxiway would be strengthened, some 666,574 square metre of the side strip grading and drainage works would be strengthened, and a one-step air field lighting system would be installed.
The planning minister said every year, some 1.50 lakh international passengers directly travel through this airport through wide-bodied aircraft, as the number of international flights at this airport was currently 314. This is almost double the number of international flights in 2006.
Following the growing demand for passenger travel, wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing-777 are currently being operated through this airport. The operation of such aircrafts is increasing day by day.
Under such circumstances, the project has been prepared and given approval to deal with the operations of a growing number of wide-bodied aircraft.
According to an official of the Planning Commission, many people hailing from this district and the neighbouring districts work in foreign countries such as the UK, the US and the UAE as immigrants. Every year, many people travel from this airport to other countries, including the UK.
As a result, the Sylhet Osmani International Airport plays a significant role in setting up communications of Bangladesh with foreign countries.
The ECNEC also gave its nod to the proper standard upgradation and widening of an important regional highway (Gopalganj zone) at an estimated cost of Tk 395.49 crore.
The roads and highways department under the road transport and bridges ministry will implement the project by December 2019 at Rajbari Sadar, Kalukhali and Pangsha upazilas.
The implementation of the project would ensure an uninterrupted road communications system through upgradation and widening of some 51.69 km of roads under the roads and highways department under the Gopalganj zone. This would also facilitate better road communications on the other side of the Padma once the Padma Multipurpose Bridge is constructed.
