Nine new projects have been added and two projects have been dropped from the previous list of projects included in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) which will be signed during the 2-day Dhaka visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 14. With these changes, the total number of projects now stands at 28. The Chinese side on Sunday sent Bangladesh the final draft of the MOU containing the names of these projects.
Apart from these, some more projects have been included in a separate MoU while three have been included for a framework agreement and three have been put in a loan agreement.
The nine newly included projects are -- Construction of a DG Track parallel to the existing MG line in Joydevpur-Mymensingh Section (258 million US dollars); Conversation of MG Railway Track into DG railway track in Akhaura to Sylhet section of BR (1.7 billion USD); Construction of New Inland container depot (ICD) near Dhirashram railway section (200 million USD ); Extension of the existing underground mining operation of Barapukuria coal mine(256 million USD); pre-payment meeting project for BPDB’s distribution(521 million USD); Expansion and modernization of Mongla Port facilities (249 million USD); establishing digital connectivity (USD 1 billion); Development of National ICT Infra-Network for Bangladesh Government Phase-III (Info-Sarkar); Modernization of telecommunication network for digital connectivity; modernization of rural and urban lives in Bangladesh through ICT.
Two projects have been dropped because the Asian Development Bank has already agreed to finance these. The projects are Dhaka-Chittagong railway project (USD 3.3 billion), and Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar railway project (1.5 billion). Sources at the finance ministry said, the total investment amount will be around $40 billion US dollars.
Earlier, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan told The Independent that the number of projects might increase. Both the sides had earlier agreed on 21 projects which are: Chinese economic and industrial zone in Chittagong (and related infrastructure development); Bangladesh Garment Industrial Park; Padma Bridge rail link project (USD 2.5 billion); Construction of double line (dual gauge) between Joydebpur and Ishurdi sections (USD 752.79 million); construction of the multi-lane road tunnel under the Karnaphuli river (USD 705.80 million); construction of marine drive expressway and coastal protection works from Shitakunda to Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar (USD 2.85 billion); Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway project (USD 1.39 billion); Dhaka-Sylhet four-lane highway project (USD 1.6 billion); expansion and strengthening of power system network in the area under the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) (USD 2.0 billion); system loss reduction by replacing five million electro mechanical energy meters with electronic energy meters (USD 165.98 million); power grid network strengthening project under the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd (PGCB) (USD 1.3 billion); Gazaria 350MW coal-fired thermal power plant (USD 433 million); replacement of overloaded distribution transformer for providing reliable electricity in RE system; installation of single point mooring (SPM) with double pipeline (USD 500.46 million); Rajshahi surface water treatment plant (USD 500 million);  sanitation, drainage and solid waste management for small-sized municipalities;   establishment of five full-fledged TV stations of Bangladesh Television (USD 127.89 million); balancing, modernization and rehabilitation and expansion (BMRE) programme for the public sector jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) (USD 280 million).
According to sources, China aims to build up a platform for communication and cooperation between the two countries, promote investment and production capacity cooperation in key fields between the enterprises of the two nations, develop the economies of the two sides, create job opportunities, realise a mutually beneficial and win-win situation, and promote mutual progress. China will provide support in infrastructure construction, energy and power, transportation, communication and establishment of economic and industrial zones, or any other field considered high-priority by both the sides. For the projects supported by the Chinese concessional fund, Bangladesh will select Chinese enterprises for implementation in accordance with its laws and relative Chinese policies, provide necessary convenient conditions for the implementation of enterprises such as equipment and materials clearance, foreign exchange outflow and inflow, personnel immigration and working visas, the sources added.