FROM PAGE B1

while the original deadline was December 2018. But so far, only 57.99 per cent of the estimated budget has been spent till October last year.

Eastern Refinery Ltd (ERL) is the implementing agency of the project on behalf of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) with financing from Exim Bank of China.

In a press briefing after the meeting, Planning Commission Member AKM Fazlul Hoque said although the project started in 2015, it got delayed initially as it took 18 months to get the loan agreement signed.

Explaining about the cost enhancement, Hoque said at the first pipelines were laid at 1.5 metre depth under the water level.

Later, on request from the Bangladesh Navy and Coal Power Generation Bangladesh Limited, which is constructing a coal-run power plant at the area, the pipelines were shifted and laid 6 to 8 metre deeper positions under the sea.

However, Hoque went on to say the BPC would bear the additional cost and it is not related with the Chinese loan.

The Ecnec meeting also okayed the third revision of the project of establishing 100 technical schools and colleges at 100 upazilas, raising its cost to Tk 2,520.40 crore from the original budget of Tk 924 crore.

The project that started in January 2014 was originally planned to be complete by June 2016 while the new deadline is December 2024.

A total of 11 projects were approved yesterday involving a total of Tk 5,825.74 crore.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the prime minister in the meeting gave direction not to go for constructing new roads, rather she emphasised on taking maintenance projects of the existing roads.

“In the meeting, she (the prime minister) said that a lot of roads have been built and our target now should be maintaining these roads. She asked to protect, repair, strengthen, upgrade and widen these roads. That was her main message,” he added.