He was chairing a meeting at the ministry on various projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

Official sources said the adviser expressed his dissatisfaction over the delay in the appointment of such a private company which would be assigned to operate the NCT.

The progress of 20 development projects under the ministry for the year 2006-07 was reviewed in the meeting. A total of Tk 317.90 crore was allocated for these projects, now at various stages of implementations.

Matin told reporters after the meeting that the ministry initiated a number of development projects that were stalled earlier.

The projects include setting up of 3 landing stations in three upazilas in the costal belt, replacing old ferries, conducting capital dredging in the river Karnaphuli for maintaining navigability, procuring a scanner machine at the Chittagong port, maintaining the Dhaka-Mongla and Chittagong-Mongla river routes, resuming development project for completing the circular waterway around Dhaka city, setting up of a flyover on an approach road to Chittagong port.

The adviser also asked the officials to start the second phase of the circular waterway from Ashulia to Kanchpur. The first phase, Sadarghat to Ashulia, was completed earlier, the meeting was told.