Bangladesh Secretariat, the nerve centre of country’s administration, is set to be shifted from capital’s Topkhana to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).
 

According to sources, the decision in this regard has almost been finalised and the relevant project will be placed in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today for approval.
 

The secretariat will be built in line with the design of the parliament bhaban made by world famous architect Louis Kahn, which does not allow the existence of any grave there. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also said in more than one ECNEC meetings earlier that if all do agree, the graves including that of Zia will be shifted elsewhere from the parliament bhaban area.
 

The planning commission officials said the secretariat will have a  beautiful building surrounded by wide roads and having most modern facilities.  Separate roads will be constructed so that traffic jam cannot be created around the secretariat.     
 

The planned metro rail route will also be changed to facilitate the officials employees and the people from Uttara and Gazipur to reach the secretariat directly. As the secretariat will be located just beside the Ganobhaban, separate plan is being drawn for the security of the Prime Minister.
 

The decision to shift the secretariat to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar is not new. But during the last five years of the present government, the policymakers took time to finalise the decision due to financial crisis or political unrest.  
 

According to the plan of the government, four buildings with 14-storey foundation will be constructed on 32 acres of land. All the buildings will be nine-storied.  The project cost has been estimated at Tk 2213 crore to be provided totally from the government ex-chequer. The target of completing the project is 2018.