The Executive Committee of National Economic Council on Tuesday approved a project for providing freelancing training to educated and young jobseekers in 48 districts involving Tk 299.99 crore, aiming to create employment opportunities.
The approval came from the Ecnec meeting presided over by Ecnec chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC Conference Room in the city. The Ecnec approved a total of nine development projects, including the one on freelancing training , involving a total of Tk 4,453 crore.
The project titled “Employment Generation through Freelancing Training for Educated Youth Job Seekers in 48 Districts” will be implemented by December, 2026.
“Today 10 projects were placed in the meeting. Of them, nine projects were approved,” said Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmaker at a press briefing.
The overall estimated cost of nine projects is Tk 4,453.21 crore (only additional costs of three revised projects counted here), he said.
Of the cost, Tk 3,909.21 crore to be drawn from the government’s fund, while Tk 289.57 crore from the own funds of the organizations concerned and the rest Tk 254.43 crore as foreign loan, said the planning secretary.
The other fresh projects include “Development of Important Rural Infrastructures in Dhaka District” with Tk 1,123.40 crore to be implemented by December, 2027, Extension of the operations of PDBF, 2nd phase involving Tk 529.61 crore.
Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Sustainable Development Pathways of Bangladesh with Tk 60.99 crore and Smart prepaid metering (2nd phase) for West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited areas with Tk 761.31 crore.
Construction of new buildings of ACC divisional offices of Khulna, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet and upward extension of Mymensingh divisional office with Tk 133.48 crore.
Three revised projects are Establishment of Super Specialized Hospital (2nd revised) under BSMMU with an additional cost of Tk 151.39 crore, Climate Resilient Infrastructure Mainstreaming Project (CRIMP) (1st revised) with an additional cost of Tk 290.65 crore, and Urban Resilience Project (URP) Project Coordination and Monitoring Unit (PCMU), 4th revised with an additional cost of Tk 3.31 crore.
Besides, the meeting extended the timeframe for the Secondary Education Sector Investment Programme (3rd revised) till December 2024. But the first revision of Sewerage System Installation (Phase-I) of Chattogram City Project didn’t get clearance in the meeting.
In the meeting, the Prime Minister put emphasis on taking concerted steps for disbursement of foreign loans and grants in pipeline without any hassle, said the planning secretary.
She asked the authorities concerned to give utmost importance to the section process of projects and speedy completion of the ongoing projects.
