e-News® | The NEWS Company…DHAKA, Aug 04, 2015 : The government has launched a project to build country’s largest exhibition centre with Chinese financial assistance. The permanent exhibition establishment to be built at Purbachal, on the outskirts of the capital, would also be the venue of Dhaka International Trade Fair. The “Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre” would be built on 20 acres of land involving Taka 796 crore.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved the project at its second meeting in the new fiscal at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar with ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, after the meeting, briefed reporters about the outcome. He said the ECNEC today approved nine development projects including the exhibition centre with a total outlay of Taka 3,368.63 crore.
“Of the total project cost, the government will provide Taka 2,379.31 crore from the national exchequer while Taka 957.19 crore would come as project assistance and organization concerned will contribute Taka 32.13 crore from own fund,” he added. Among the approved projects, eight are new while one is revised project. Planning Ministry officials said the Chinese Government would provide Taka 625 crore as grant while the government would arrange Taka 138 crore from national exchequer and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) will contribute Taka 32 crore from own fund. EPB will implement the project by June 2018 under the turn-key method with Chinese grant.
The exhibition center will have two superior halls with space for 806 booths (9mX9m) each, apart from the facilities for parking some 1,500 cars. Besides, there will be a conference room, press centre, trade information centre, reception centre, service room, sub-station and other necessary facilities. The ECNEC approved another project titled procurement of machineries and equipment from Belarus for the city corporations and pourashavas involving Taka 420.30 crore.
Local Government Division will implement the project by June 2016. Under the project, there will be procurement of 330 skid steer loaders, 330 drills, 330 excavators, 329 twin drum vibratory rollers, 11 bulldozer blades, 11 log grapples, 11 wheel loaders, 11 hydraulic hammers, 11 combination asphalt rollers and 11 back-hole loaders.
The other projects approved in the meeting are Augmentation of gas production under fast track programme ( Tk 1,300.50 cr), establishment of Pirganj Textile Engineering College (Tk 107.48 cr), Establishment of Jamalpur Textile Engineering College (Tk 111.43 cr), Nutrition development through production of fruits throughout the year (Tk 195 cr), enhancing irrigation capacity through construction of underground irrigation drains (Tk 136.16 cr), protection of right embankment of River Padma at Philipnagar, Abeder Ghat and Islampur Areas under Doulatpur upazila of Kushtia district (Tk 83.52cr) and fisheries development in greater Comilla district (Tk 218.24 cr).
Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and Secretaries concerned were present.
