Chief Adviser and NEC Chairperson Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus on Monday attended a meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. Photo : PID

The National Economic Council (NEC) on Monday approved a revised Annual Development Programme (ADP) worth Tk 2 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2025–26, placing the highest priority on the transport and communication sector.

The decision was taken at an NEC meeting held at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka, chaired by Chief Adviser and NEC Chairperson Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus.

When allocations for autonomous bodies and state-owned corporations from their own funds are included, the overall size of the Revised ADP rises to Tk 2,08,935.53 crore.

Planning Adviser Professor Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud briefed the media after the meeting, saying the revision followed established practice and reflected the country’s resource position, availability of foreign financing and the prevailing macroeconomic outlook.

Under the revised programme, Tk 1,28,000 crore will be financed from domestic sources, while Tk 72,000 crore will come from foreign assistance.

Compared with the original ADP, domestic financing has been reduced by Tk 16,000 crore and foreign financing by Tk 14,000 crore, resulting in an overall cut of Tk 30,000 crore.

For autonomous bodies and corporations, the RADP allocation has been fixed at Tk 8,935.53 crore, with Tk 8,930.53 crore from domestic sources and Tk five crore from foreign sources.

This brings the combined size of the revised development programme to Tk 2,08,935.53 crore.

The revised ADP covers a total of 1,330 projects, including 1,108 investment projects, 35 feasibility studies, 121 technical assistance projects and 66 projects being implemented by autonomous bodies and corporations using their own funds.

Of these, 286 projects are scheduled for completion by June 30, 2026.

The programme also includes 170 projects financed through the Climate Change Trust Fund, underscoring the government’s continued emphasis on climate resilience and adaptation.

Five sectors have received the largest share of allocations: transport and communication, power and energy, housing and community facilities, education, and local government and rural development.

Together, these sectors account for Tk 1,21,118 crore, or 60.54 percent of the total revised allocation.

In terms of ministries and divisions, the Local Government Division received the highest allocation, followed by the Road Transport and Highways Division and the Power Division.

Other major recipients include the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Secondary and Higher Education Division, Ministry of Shipping, Bridges Division and the Ministry of Railways.

The revised programme incorporates 856 new unapproved projects without allocation, along with another 157 unapproved projects included to facilitate access to foreign funding.

An additional 35 unapproved projects without allocation have been added under the own-financing schemes of implementing agencies. The RADP also lists 81 Public-Private Partnership projects.

Officials said effective implementation of the revised ADP would help boost economic activity, accelerate GDP growth, create jobs and improve education and healthcare services.

They added that the programme is expected to support human resource development, food self-sufficiency, poverty reduction and broader socio-economic progress.

The NEC meeting was attended by members of the Advisers Council, the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, the Bangladesh Bank governor, Planning Commission members and senior officials from various ministries and divisions.