At a meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, it asked the ministries concerned to review the projects involving Tk 1,483 crore and place fresh proposals within a month.

Especially the planning ministry officials were instructed to examine the projects closely before forwarding those to the Ecnec. "The chief adviser has asked them to weigh up the potential economic and environmental impact and necessity of the projects," said a meeting source.

Finance and Planning Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam said, "The project proposals were returned for further examination to find irregularity, if there is any."

About the power projects, he said, "We have asked to examine particularly one project [of power] to see whether it was processed meeting all the requirements."

At its first meeting under the present caretaker government, the Ecnec, the highest government body to examine and approve development projects and programmes, however, gave its seal of approval to eight other projects costed at Tk 748 crore in total.

The projects that failed to get approval are the rehabilitation and modernisation of units 1 and 2 of Ghorashal thermal power station (revised) estimated at Tk 210.2 crore, rehabilitation of unit 3 of the Karnaphuli hydro power station (revised) at Tk 180.2 crore, the 150-MW Chandpur combined cycle power plant and its transmission line (revised) at Tk 687 crore, development of support services for Bangladesh Police at Tk 65 crore, improvement of the brake system of Bangladesh Railway at Tk 34 crore and Debagram-Pragati Sarani link road estimated to cost Tk 90 crore.

The Chandpur power project had been awarded to the blacklisted Chinese company Harbin amid allegations of gross irregularities and corruption.

The other controversial project was the rehabilitation of 50-MW third Karnaphuli hydropower unit. The proposal for the project seeks to obtain Tk 180 crore for its rehabilitation under an Italian soft loan whereas a new plant could be installed at a cost of Tk 150 crore.

The Tk 210-crore project for the rehabilitation and modernisation of Ghorashal 1 and 2 power units (revised) was also sent back. In its revised budget, Tk 122 crore has been stated as Russian suppliers' credit. The original cost of the project was Tk 117 crore.

Meeting sources said the Ecnec members have asked the ministry concerned to review terms and conditions of the suppliers' credit.

The Tk 65-crore project for developing support services for the Bangladesh Police also did not get the nod. It proposes to buy vehicles from China on interest-free loans. China would supply vehicles instead of giving the loan in cash.

But the Ecnec members raised questions about the need for vehicles for the police and also about sustainability of the Chinese cars.

About the Debagram-Pragati Sarani link road, the meeting asked the communications ministry to see whether the proposed two-lane link road could be upgraded to a four-lane highway. It also directed the ministry to study the environmental impact especially the probability of waterlogging, a source said.

The project for improvement of the brake system of Bangladesh Railway was sent back as the meeting questioned the necessity of the project when a master plan is on the card for improvement of the railway sector.

"It might turn out to be unnecessary duplication of works under the master plan to which a number of donor agencies have committed funds recently," another source said.

A Tk 69.58-crore programme designed to solve waterlogging at Bhabadaha in Jessore is among the projects approved at yesterday's meeting. Thousands of people in Jessore, Satkhira and Khulna are affected by the waterlogging problem that causes extensive damage to the crops every year.

The other ones okayed are Paglapir-Tista Barrage road development costed at Tk 32.33 crore, Mohraghat-Kalurghat Water Treatment Plant Tk 82.30 crore, infrastructure development in greater Rajshahi Tk 116.24 crore, development of Military Institute for Science and Technology at Mirpur Cantonment Tk 30.72 crore, Atomic Treatment Centre extension in Bogra, Barisal, Khulna, Mymensingh and Rangpur Tk 45 crore, overhaul of Zia Fertiliser Company at Tk 190 crore and Jamuna Fertiliser Company at Tk 181.48 crore.

Sources said the Ecnec was apprised of some 45 other projects approved by former finance and planning minister M Saifur Rahman during the immediate past BNP-led alliance rule. A finance minister can approve projects costing under Tk 25 crore without the approval of the Ecnec.

Asked about the matter, the finance and planning adviser said, "The projects were approved by the past finance minister, but so far no funds have been allocated against those." He added that they would examine those before approving any allocation.