With the election a couple of months away, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved 24 development projects worth Tk 24,740 crore, an apparent move to appease voters.

And there could be more such approvals next week, before the Election Commission announces the polls schedule.

Yesterday, the planning ministry tabled 25 projects involving Tk 32,508 crore for Ecnec's approval. During its six-hour meeting, Ecnec only returned a Tk 7,767 crore project for the Mymensingh divisional headquarters.

After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told reporters that the Ecnec would sit again on Sunday where 30 to 40 more projects could be placed for approval.

Usually, once the schedule is announced, no projects are approved. So, the ministries and divisions are rushing to the planning ministry to get the green light for their projects.

At least 82 projects involving Tk 88,782 crore have been approved this month alone. In the first half of the month, two Ecnec meetings were held in one week, a rare example.

Many of the approved projects are for enhancing rural and district roads, improving electricity distribution system, and city corporation development. They are likely to boost the ruling party nominees' chances in the polls, observers said.

A high official of the planning ministry, however, said the huge number of projects was being approved anticipating EC's restrictions on project approval after the schedule is announced.

Minister Kamal yesterday told reporters that earlier he held meetings with all secretaries and told them to submit their projects, regardless of their number, and those would be approved following procedure.

Replying to a query on why such a huge number of projects were being okayed before the election, the minister said the projects would contribute to the development of the country.

Asked whether projects would be approved once the election schedule is announced, he said the prime minister would decide that.

The Ecnec yesterday approved a multi-sectoral project for emergency rehabilitation of the Rohingyas at a cost of Tk 1,058 crore. The World Bank would provide Tk 1,048 crore and the rest would be given by the government.

Under the project, various infrastructures, including roads and power distribution would be built.

The Ecnec approved a project for setting up new dual-gauge rail line from Bogura to Sirajganj, which would reduce distance from Dhaka to Bogura by 112km and save three hours of travel time. It would be built at a cost of Tk 5,579 crore and Tk 3,146 crore would be provided from India's third line of credit.

The committee also approved a Tk 1,272 crore project for setting up telecommunication and ICT infrastructure, and developing human resource and technical capacity of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).

According to the project proposal, it would enhance the DGFI's ability to prevent militancy, provide security to people's lives and properties, secure voice and data connections, prevent crimes using social media and stop cybercrimes.   

Other projects approved include: construction of drains, footpaths, and roads in Gazipur City Corporation (Tk 1,510 crore); construction and repair of damaged roads, drains, and footpaths in Dhaka North City Corporation (Tk 694 crore); widening of road from Madani Avenue to the Balu river (Tk 1,259 crore); construction of road from the Balu to the Shitalakkhya river (Tk 456 crore); building permanent campus for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (Tk 1,184 crore); setting up polytechnic Institutes in 23 districts (Tk 3,691 crore); construction of nine government secondary school buildings (Tk 435 crore); construction of a 20-storey office building at the secretariat (Tk 420 crore); building nine residential towers for police (Tk 927 crore).

The planning minister said during the tenure of this government, 1,297 projects, with an estimated cost of Tk 14,86,127 crore, had been approved in 148 Ecnec meetings. 

He said Bangladesh Secretariat would not be moved to Agargaon, near the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. He said the government looked into the original design of the parliament made by internationally acclaimed architect Louis I Kahn and the land available there was inadequate for the secretariat to be moved.