Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the authorities concerned to select a site for constructing the proposed second nuclear power plant in the country’s southern region. “The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered the authorities concerned to select a suitable site for constructing a proposed second nuclear power plant. She mentions that the second nuclear power plant would be constructed at the country’s southern region,” Planning Minister MA Mannan told reporters after the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) meeting held at NEC conference room in the city’s Agargoan.
“Like Rooppur, another nuclear power plant will be constructed in the southern part of the country,” Mannan said quoting the Premier.
Primarily, the authorities concerned have selected eight southern locations. The sites are--- Pokkhir Char of Galachipa Upazila of Patuakhali, Khotter Char and Nidar Char of Taltali Upazila of Barguna, Alekhar Char of Amtali Upazila, Tenghar Char of Patharghata Upazila, Char Halia of Batiaghata Upazila of Khulna, Boyer Char of Hatia upazila of Noakhali and Muhurir Char of Sonagazi upazila in Feni, he added.
The second nuclear power plant will be constructed at one of the above mentioned sites, the minister said. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is the most expensive project in the country’s history. After completion of under-construction of the first unit of the power plant at a cost of Tk 113,093 crore, we will get 1200 MW electricity in 2023,” Mannan also said.
The ECNEC on Tuesday approved the nuclear security development project of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The cost of this project has been estimated at Tk 1710.63 crore. It will be implemented by the Bangladesh Nuclear Power Control Authority from this year to 2025.
The ECNEC has also approved another project of setting up four marine academies in the country at a cost of Tk 520.46 crore. It has also approved the ‘Population Census and House Listing 2021’ project at a cost of Tk 1,761.79 crore. The minister said that the government will conduct the weeklong 6th population census and house listing project from January 2 to 8 in 2021.
Under the project, he said, the government for the first time will count the Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) and foreigners who live in the country. The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved ten projects involving Tk 11,467 crore including the one to population survey and home census projects worth Tk 1761.79 crore. The minister said that a total of 10 projects were approved involving an overall cost of Tk 11,467.23 crore. “Of the total project cost, Tk 8,271.23 crore will come from the state exchequer while Tk 267.11 crore from project assistance and Tk 2,928.79 crore from foreign assistance.”
The other projects approved in the meeting are--- ‘Proper development of the Kishoreganj Pakundia-Mirzapur-Tok district highway’ with Tk 729.79 crore, ‘three bridges at the Aminbazar, Salehpur and Nawerhat under the Dhaka-Aricha highway’ with Tk 388.91 crore, ‘2nd revised project of the “Skills for Employment Investment Programme (SEIP)’ with Tk 3,712.33 crore, ‘Expansion of irrigation in the greater Rangpur district through the ‘best use of ground water and conservation of rain water’ with Tk 250.57 crore, ‘Rural employment and road protection project-3’ with Tk 1,723.15 crore, ‘Protection project for the Nowapara area under Naria upazila under Shariatpur district from the erosion of the right bank of the branch of Padma river and the Charaatra area from the left bank of the Padma river’ with Tk 557.24 crore and ‘the establishment of water refinery at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar’ with Tk 632.82.