Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday directed off-loading shares of the state-owned companies into the stock market.
The ministry of finance will look into the issue as per the directive, said planning secretary Satyajit Karmaker, quoting the PM at a post Executive Committee of the National Economic Council meeting briefing at the Planning Commission.
The PM gave the directive, while approving 10 project proposals, including the second revision to the project on conversion of wet process to dry process of the Chhatak Cement Company Limited in Sunamganj that pushed up the project cost to Tk 1,417 crore from original Tk 666 crore.
The planning secretary said that the finance ministry would identify the shares of state-owned companies which can be divested in the market.
Planning minister Major General (retd) Abdus Salam and state-minister for planning Md. Shahiduzzaman Sarker were also present at the briefing.
The planning minister said that it was a very good move to enhance competitiveness of the state-owned companies.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
In 2005, the finance ministry selected 26 state-owned companies and companies, including Unilever and Aventis, in which the government owns shares for offloading certain portion of its shares in the market, said finance ministry officials.聽聽聽
Some shares of the state-owned companies, including Titas, DESCO, Jamuna Oil, Eastern Lubricants and Bangladesh Shipping Corporation Bank, have been divested in the share market.
But the process of further offloading of shares has remained stalled since 2008鈥�09, said finance ministry officials.
The prime minister also directed not to attach her name with anymore projects in future after approving the Sheikh Hasina Medical University in Khulna to be implemented at Tk 1,875 crore by 2026, said the planning secretary.
The prime minister once again directed not to disrupt the natural water flow while constructing bridges and culverts over rivers and canals, he said, adding that the PM asked to build the infrastructure at proper height.聽聽
The planning minister said that all the three institutions鈥擲heikh Hasina Medical University, the China Aid Project of Burn Unit at Chittagong Medical College Hospital and Sheikh Hasina Medical University鈥攁re important projects for the health sector.
The China Aid Project of Burn Unit at Chittagong Medical College Hospital will be established at Tk 284 crore with Tk 179 crore from foreign loans by 2025.
The planning minister said that the 10 approved project proposals altogether involve Tk 5,563.68 crore.
Of the amount, the government will finance Tk 5,203.21 crore and the rest Tk 360.47 crore will derive from foreign sources.
The other approved projects are鈥斺�楥apacity Building of Statistics Service Based on Platform鈥� at Tk 144.07 crore, 鈥楧evelopment of Important Rural Infrastructure鈥� in Pirojpur and Jhalakathi districts at Tk 1,100 crore, 鈥楧evelopment of Important Rural Infrastructure鈥� in Barishal district at Tk 1,000 crore, 鈥楶rogramme for Sustainability in the Textile and Leather Sector鈥� at Tk 81.44 crore, 鈥楥onstruction of New Circuit House Bhaban鈥� in Dhaka at Tk 334.46 crore, and construction of different infrastructure facilities for Border Guard Bangladesh鈥檚 newly created Gazipur Battalion (63 BGB)鈥� at Tk 223.02 crore.