ECNEC formed with PM Tarique Rahman as Chairperson

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has been reconstituted with Prime Minister Tareq Rahman as its chair to consider and approve development project proposals (DPP), Technical Assistance Project Proposals (TAPPs) and Technical Project Proposals (TPPs) involving a total investment expenditure of over Tk 500 million in the public sector.

This new committee was announced via a gazette notification signed by Md. Humayun Kabir, Additional Secretary (Committee and Economic) of the Cabinet Division's Committee Affairs Branch, on Tuesday, 24 February, by order of the President. The committee will consider and approve the recommendations of the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meetings for investment expenditure projects, review the progress of development project implementation, and consider proposals for private sector, joint venture or participatory investment companies.

The gazette states that the Prime Minister Tareq Rahman is the chair of the 'Executive Committee of the National Economic Council' (ECNEC), with Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, as the alternate chair.

The other members of the committee are Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Minister of Finance and Planning; Salahuddin Ahmed, Minister of Home Affairs; Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Minister of Industries, Commerce, and Textiles & Jute; Md. Asaduzzaman, Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Sardar Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain, Minister of Health and Family Welfare; and Sheikh Rabiul Alam, Minister of Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping.

The Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office, Secretary of the Finance Division, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division, Secretary of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Members of the Planning Commission of the Planning Division, and Secretaries of relevant Ministries and Divisions will be involved in the committee as assisting officers. The term 'Secretary' will also include Senior Secretaries within this scope of work.

Under financial rules, proposals exceeding Tk 1 billion for certain ministries and Tk 500 million for others must be placed before this committee.

For context, this gazette cancels the previous gazette issued by the Cabinet Division on 20 August 2024. 

DB Tech/SH/EK