PM asks authorities to expand number of fast track projects

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said more development initiatives alongside the existing 10 mega ones should be incorporated as fast track projects as she chaired a meeting to review their work progress on January 1.

"We have initially incorporated some projects as the fast track ones . . . more projects including the mega ones should (now) as well be included as fast track projects," she told the fifth meeting of Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee at the PMO here.

The premier said some of the mega projects were by now incorporated as the fast track ones but the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee should supervise some more important big schemes.

Sheikh Hasina said the reelection of the Awami League for the third consecutive terms now enabled her government to smoothly implement the development projects maintaining their quality.

"I am grateful to the people for giving this scope," she said adding that discontinuation of a government could have hampered the ongoing development works.

The Prime Minister said her government took the projects so the common people were benefitted and become solvent.

The premier's comments came as she was apprised of the progress of the implementation of the fast track projects when she also issued some directives for their proper implementation.

Sheikh Hasina appreciated the pace of progress of the fast track projects including that of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge noting that nearly 3.5-kilometre of the 6.15-km structure was by now constructed.

According to the project factsheet, 85.5 per cent construction works of the main Padma Bridge is completed so far, while the overall progress of the project is 76.50 per cent.

The ten fast track projects are: constructions of Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Maitree Super Thermal Power at Rampal, Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development, Dhaka Mass Transit Development, LNG Terminal and Gas Pipe Line, (Sonadia) Deep Seaport, Paira Deep Seaport, Padma Bridge Railway Link and Dohazari-Cox's Bazar-Gundhum Railway Line.

Officials familiar with the meeting, however, said the proposed site of the planned Sonadia Deep Seaport was likely to be relocated as the premier feared the project could damage the ecological balance in that area.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, PM's advisers Dr Mashiur Rahman and Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, among others, attended the meeting.

PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the meeting, while Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam and other government high officials concerned were present.