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Ecnec okays Tk 1.86bn telecom network for digital B'desh project(United News of Bangladesh Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dhaka, Apr 22 (UNB) The government on Tuesday approved the 'Establishment of NGN-based Telecommunication Network for Digital Bangladesh' project costing Tk 1,863.15 crore to expand Tele-density and Tele-access facilities among the people for reaching the ICT services at reliable and affordable price. The approval came from a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) held at the NEC conference room in city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said that a total of five development projects were approved today with a cost of Tk 2,072.53 crore. "Of the total project costs, Tk 619.32 crore will come from the government exchequer while the rest Tk 1,453.21 crore as project assistance," he said. Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan and Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam were present at the briefing. The Planning Minister said that China would come up with a credit of Tk 1,453.21 crore for the 'Establishment of NGN-based Telecommunication Network for Digital Bangladesh' project, which will be completed by June, 2017 across the country. He also said that the Chinese credit would bear 1.50 percent interest rate with a 20-year repayment period. Under the project, the low-capacity old transmission equipments at the existing exchanges of the BTCL for providing broadband internet services with voice call would be replaced with modern internet and multimedia-based transmission equipments. For this reason, the existing copper-based main telephone network of the BTCL would be replaced with high-powered optical fiber cable network. Planning Ministry sources said that with the implementation of the project, internet connections would be available up to village level while all government institutions would be connected through creating network at national level alongside creating scope for internet telephone and video conferencing. Besides, it would be possible to provide internet connections at all primary, secondary and vocational training institutes at an affordable price. Under the project, one internet protocol multimedia subsystem (ISS) platform would be set up in the capital with capacity of providing some 700,000 connections apart from another same-capacity ISS platform in Chittagong. The project will also ensure voice call alongside sharing of videos through internet through modernizing the network of BTCL. As a result, some 10 lakh land phone users would be able to use internet services not taking new connections. The day's Ecnec meeting approved another project, titled 'Provision for Equipment and Professional Training for Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital' at a cost of Tk 100 crore for procuring modern equipments for the hospital set up at Ashulia to treat cancer patients. Of the total project cost, the government would provide Tk 60 crore while the rest Tk 40 crore would come from the organization's own fund. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Dhaka Ahsania Mission will jointly implement the project to enhance the skill of the public and private professionals through imparting them training for prevention and treatment of the cancer disease. The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to the 'Laksam (Doulatganj)-Nangolkot-Kodalia-Dhalua-Chittora Bazar Road development' project at a cost of Tk 49.68 crore to be entirely borne by the government. The meeting also decided to name the road after late Member of Parliament Joynal Abedin Bhuiyan. The two other projects approved in the meeting are 'Setting up of fish landing (matsya abotoron) center in haor region' (1st revised) at a cost of Tk 64.43 crore and the 'fish farming and management in haor region (1st revised) at a cost of Tk 37.26 crore. Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Posts and Telecommunications and ICT Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Housing and Public Works Minister Engr Mosharraf Hossain, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan and State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan, Planning Commission members and concerned secretaries attended the meeting. |