Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the authorities concerned to implement various projects at a faster pace maintaining the quality and standard of work.

She was speaking at the first Ecnec meeting after forming the government for a third consecutive term on January 8.

Hasina's directives came amid complaints from different quarters about project selection, pace of implementation and quality of work.

A top planning ministry official said the PM asked the implementing agencies to emphasise on project selection and implementation.

The meeting, chaired by the PM, at the planning ministry's NEC auditorium approved eight projects involving Tk 1,893cr from the government's own fund.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said his main aim was to expedite implementation of projects.

He said the country's GDP growth rate would be 7.8 percent this fiscal year and this could be increased to 8 to 9 percent in future if the pace of project implementation picked up.

Talking to The Daily Star, a senior planning ministry official said the PM asked them to show far-sightedness in picking out projects.

The projects should be selected keeping in mind that the quality of grassroots people's life is improved. Besides, careful monitoring of projects should be conducted so that their implementation is expedited, the official quoted Hasina as saying.

In the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), a Tk 369cr project for construction of 5.4-km four-lane road from the capital's Jatrabari (Mayor Hanif Flyover) to Demra (Sultana Kamal Bridge) was approved. There will be 8.44-km service lanes on both sides of the road. The project would help reduce traffic jam and number of accidents.

Another project for eliminating PPR and foot-and-mouth diseases of cattle at a cost of Tk 345cr got the go-ahead.

Referring to the project, the premier said medicine and vaccines for cattle are imported. She directed the authorities concerned to take initiatives to produce those at home.

The other projects are related to production and marketing of nutrition-rich, non-traditional cereal crop at a cost of Tk 206cr, development of seven existing textile vocational institutes and setting up of six new ones involving Tk 354cr, construction of Challisha-Kunia-Medni-Razurbazar link highway in Netrakona at a cost of Tk 257cr and replacement of six dilapidated and narrow bridges on Gobindaganj-Chhatak-Doarabazar road with new bridges involving Tk 111cr.

The AL won the December 30, 2018 parliamentary election with an absolute majority.