ECNEC approves Tk 34.03b project for land acquisition to construct ICD at Dhirashram

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a Tk 34.0289 billion project in a bid to ensure land acquisition and setting up Pubail-Dhirashram rail link for constructing Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Dhirashram under Gazipur City Corporation area, reports BSS.

The approval came at the ECNEC meeting, presided over by its chairperson Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The meeting was held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area today.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that a total of 17 projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 129.52 billion.

"Of the total project cost, Tk 102.6752 billion will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Tk 138.4 million from the concerned organization's own fund while the rest of Tk 26.70 billion as project assistance."

Of the approved 17 projects, 10 are new while seven are revised projects.

Bangladesh Railway under the Ministry of Railways will implement the land acquisition for ICD project with entire government fund by September 2026.

The main objectives of the project are some 231 acres of land acquisition for constructing ICD at Dhirashram, constructing 7.16 kilometre rail link (10.5  kilometre track) from Pubail to Dhirashram.

The main project operations include some 230.94 acres of land acquisition, construction of 175 metre major bridge and 35 meter minor bridge alongside 7.16 kilometre route.

Once the project is implemented, it would be possible to handle containers five times higher than Kamalapur ICD.

As a result, the pressure on transportation of containers on roads would be reduced while there would be no need for plying container-laden trains to Dhaka.

The proposed ICD at Dhirashram will also boost the revenue of Bangladesh Railway through operations of more container trains while industrialization in this region would also be expedited.

Besides, this ICD will play as an important hub once the transit with Nepal and Bhutan is launched.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Construction of Kalia Bridge over River Naboganga on the 21st kilometre of Narail-Kalia district highway, second revised with an additional cost of Tk 607.8 million, procurement of CNG single decker AC buses for BRTC with Tk 11.33 billion, land acquisition for constructing sewerage treatment plant at Uttara area, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 4.99 billion, land acquisition for constructing necessary infrastructures for enhancing the facilities for the visitors coming at the Mausoleum of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara in Gopalganj with Tk 663 million, Sonagazi 50MW (amended 75MW) solar power plant construction, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 1.184 billion, Establishment of Chattogram Medical University (CMU) with Tk 18.58 billion, Establishment of Chandpur Medical College and Hospital and Nursing College with Tk 13.70 billion, Modernisation and Expansion of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 880 million.

The other projects approved in the meeting are : Development project for government secondary schools, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 10.58 billion, Irrigation development through using surface water of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar districts with Tk 6.02 billion, Expansion of modern agriculture technology at Char areas of Bangladesh with Tk 2.09 billion, Implementation of integrated water resources management to address water logging at Tungipara and Kotalipara upazilas of Gopalganj district with Tk 8.935 billion, Multipurpose disaster shelter center, 3rd revised with a reduced cost of Tk 820 billion, Construction of Bridge over River Gorai under Khoksha upazila in Kushtia with Tk 2.79 billion, Cluster Village, 2nd phase (Climate Victims Rehabilitation Project, 4th revised with no additional cost and Climate Resilient Livelihoods Improvement and Watershed Management in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CRLIWM-CHT) Sector Project with Tk 13.92 billion.

The meeting also extended the deadline of two projects without raising their costs.

Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.