The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday cleared six development projects including Tk 7,189 crore one to upgrade Cumilla-Brahmanbaria National Highway into a four-lane one.
The highway from Mainamati of Cumilla to Dharkhar of Brahmanbaria will be upgraded into a four-lane one with separate lanes for slow vehicles on both sides by June 2026, aiming to establish fast, safe and cost-effective road connectivity between Sylhet and Chattagram regions.
The approval came from the Ecnec meeting presided over by its chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who joined the event through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban.
“The total estimated cost of the six approved projects is some Tk 8,739.68 crore (only additional costs of three revised projects were counted here),” said Planning Minister MA Mannan at a press briefing after the meeting held at the NEC Conference Room.
Of the total cost, Tk 5,929.03 crore will be drawn from the government’s fund, while the rest Tk 2,810.65 crore will come as foreign loan, he said.
According to the Planning Commission, the project titled ‘Upgrading Cumilla (Mainamati)-Brahmanbaria (Dharkhar) National Highway into a Four-Lane’ will be executed at the cost of Tk 7,188.66 crore.
The government will finance Tk 4,378 crore and the rest Tk 2,810.65 crore will come from the Indian Line of Credit (LoC).
The major project operations are acquisition of 103 hectares of lands, construction of 14 bridges (with total length of 1,218.44 meters), one 1,030-meter flyover, two underpasses, 50 culverts, 12 foot-over bridges, 50-km flexible pavement and 4.5-km rigid pavement.
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