DHAKA: The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved a project involving Tk 956.84 crore to provide internet at low cost.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also ruling Awami League president, presided over the meeting, held at the NEC-2 conference room of the planning commission.

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTRC) of the Posts and Telecommunications Division will implement the project titled ‘Installation of Wireless Broadband Network for Digital Bangladesh’.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, about the project, said, “The installation of wireless broadband network is absolutely necessary to give access to inter net in low cost, which will be done through this project.”

On the project implementation, he said, “Two core network stations will be set up at Dhaka; besides, a 300-kilometer long optical fiber cable network and some 670 base transceiver stations (BST) will be set up across the seven divisional cities, districts and the upazilas.”

Of the total amount, the government of Bangladesh will provide Tk 344.69 crore while rest of the amount--Tk 612.15 crore--will come as the project aids from different sources.

The ECNEC also approved several other projects including “up-grading of Rural Distribution System project, Uttara Lake Development project, Divisional and District Shipakali Academy Construction project”.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhuy, Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Siddique, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources state minister Nasrul Hamid Bipu were among others present at the meeting.

BDST: 1700 HRS MAY 21, 2014