The interim government is starting to implement the fear that many projects taken up for political purposes during the previous Awami League government will be cancelled. The project titled Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Lathitila Forest in Moulvibazar will be terminated. Along with this, 40 more projects will be cancelled in phases.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting will be held on December 23. This is the 5th ECNEC meeting of the interim government. The Safari Park project will be cancelled in this meeting.
According to the agenda, a total of 15 project proposals from various ministries and departments will be raised in the 5th ECNEC meeting of the interim government. Out of these, 8 projects will be presented for approval and 6 project proposals approved by the Planning Advisor will be presented for notification to the ECNEC meeting. The remaining one approved project will be proposed for cancellation.
The Planning Commission said that it has been decided to cancel the project titled Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Lathitila Forest of Moulvibazar. The project proposed by the Environment Ministry was approved by ECNEC in November last year. This time, its cancellation will be approved in the ECNEC meeting.
List of project cancellations getting longer
Not only this project, the government is going to cancel unprofitable and unimportant projects taken for political consideration by various ministries. In addition to cancellation, funding will be suspended or expenditure will be cut. In the meantime, it has been decided to cancel or suspend more than 40 projects. Which will be raised in the ECNEC meeting continuously.
Among the projects awaiting cancellation are the project to build a flyover on the haor to establish road connectivity between Netrokona and Sunamganj district. The cost of the project, which was taken up with the interest of former President Md. Abdul Hamid, was estimated at Tk 3,490 crore.
The Faridpur Tepakhola Park establishment project is being canceled. Former Local Government Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain took the initiative to build the park in his constituency when he was a minister.
The government has decided to suspend six open-top tourist bus collection projects for Sheikh Hasina University in Netrokona, Sheikh Zahurul Haque Rural Development Academy in Jessore, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novotheater in Khulna and Bangladesh Tourism Corporation. It has been decided not to extend the time of those projects that have expired, while some projects are also being suspended even though they have a deadline for implementation.
The government is currently excluding the Southern Route Project (MRT Line-5) of the Metrorail from Hemayetpur in Dhaka to Dasherkandi via Aftabnagar. Instead, the government is emphasizing the construction of the Metrorail (Line-2) from Gabtoli to Narayanganj. It has also been decided to cancel the project for building rural infrastructure as per the preferences of the members of parliament.
It has been decided to stop the construction of 550 Mujib Killa (shelter centers) in various districts of the country to provide shelter to people during disasters without using them. In addition, the projects titled construction of 30 silos, Mujib Killa, installation of lightning rods, 12 modern information complexes, establishment of digital connectivity, important bridges on rural roads, roads in upazilas and unions in Dhaka division, Amar Gram-Amar Shar, and Rangpur City Corporation development are being canceled. In addition, the construction of agricultural research institutes in Feni, Chandpur and Tangail districts, high-tech parks in 12 districts, establishment of digital connectivity, mobile game applications, Sheikh Hasina Institute of Frontiers and promotion of development at the marginal level are being canceled. In addition, two economic zone development projects taken in the constituencies of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s private industry and investment advisor Salman F. Rahman and former parliamentarian Sajjadul Hasan are being canceled, the Planning Ministry said.
