Don’t name any project after me: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she will not approve any proposals for projects named after her in the future.

She said this in reference to the Tk 1,874.54 crore project — for necessary land acquisition, land development and constructing basic infrastructures — for Sheikh Hasina Medical University, Khulna.

Hasina gave the directive while chairing the ninth meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

She also gave two observations — first to exclude her name from the project title and also to shift component costs of building a mural to other components.

Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmakar briefed reporters afterwards.

Satyajit, however, said following requests from several ministers and secretaries and considering legal complexities, the Ecnec agreed to use the PM’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 added.

Expressing dissatisfaction, Hasina cautioned that she would not give approval to proposals in the future if her name is attached to any project.

The meeting yesterday approved 10 projects involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 5,563.68 crore.

One of them is “China Aid Project of Burn Unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh”.

Regarding this, Hasina told the authorities concerned to sit with the development partner to select a fresh name for the project.

Of the 10 approved projects, eight are new while two are revised.