Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday instructed authorities concerned to gradually introduce potential government institutions to the stock market.
While chairing a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the NEC Conference Room in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, the prime minister asked the Finance Division to assess the feasibility of listing government entities on the capital market, said sources.
After the meeting, Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmakar told reporters that the prime minister asked the finance ministry to take necessary steps to list government companies in the capital market.

Satyajit Karmakar said the premier did not specify the names of the companies, but asked the Finance Division and the finance secretary to select potential government institutions and the concerned government companies after proper scrutiny before enlisting those on the capital market.
Regarding the prime minister’s directive, Planning Minister Major General (retd) Md Abdus Salam said it was an important decision and this would enhance the government enterprises’ competitiveness as they would eventually be able to minimise their expenditures.
State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker also spoke at the briefing, where Planning Commission members and concerned secretaries were present.
Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmakar told reporters that Sheikh Hasina asked authorities concerned to remove her name from the Khulna medical college hospital project and asked them not to associate her name with any other project in future.
Additionally, she instructed authorities to redirect funds allocated for a university mural to other purposes.
Satyajit, however, said following requests from several ministers and secretaries and considering the legal complexities, the ECNEC agreed to use the prime minister’s name for the Khulna Medical University.
“There will be many complications if the prime minister’s name is removed from the Khulna Medical University because the parliament has already passed the act,” he said.
She also directed authorities to consider bridge construction carefully in future to avoid disrupting river flow and to maintain bridge height.
During the meeting, the ECNEC approved 10 projects involving Tk5,563.68 crore, including the project for establishing China-aided 150-bed Burn Unit at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, he said.
“Of the total project cost, Tk5,203.21 crore will come from the Bangladesh government, while Tk360.47 crore will come through foreign assistance,” Karmakar mentioned.
Other projects passed at the ECNEC meeting include Capacity Building of Statistics Service Based on Platform with Tk144.07 crore; Land Acquisition, Land Development and Construction of Basic Infrastructure for Establishment of Sheikh Hasina Medical University in Khulna with Tk1,874.54 crore; Important Rural Infrastructure Development Project: Pirojpur and Jhalakathi Districts with Tk1,100; Development of Important Rural Infrastructure in Barishal District with Tk1,000 crore; Programme for Sustainability in the Textile and Leather Sector with Tk81.44 crore; Conversion of Chhatak Cement Company’s Production Method from Wet Process to Dry Process (2nd revision) with additional Tk1,417.88 crore; Construction of new State-of-the-Art Circuit House Building in Place of Existing Circuit House Building in Dhaka District with Tk334.46 crore; Construction of Various Infrastructural Facilities of Newly Created Gazipur (63 BGB) Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh with Tk223.02 crore, and Urban Resilience Project (URP): Part of DDM (3rd Revision) with additional Tk116.75 crore.