Dhaka, Sept. 20 -- The government plans to construct a 10-storey building at Gulshan in Dhaka for the headquarters of BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal regional bloc, comprising seven countries, formed to boost technical and economic cooperation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed a project involving an estimated cost of over Tk 1.22 billion to energise BIMSTEC activities and strengthen regional cooperation and solidarity.

However, the justification for such a large investment has been questioned as the planned facility will cover 9,017 square metres across 10 floors and two separate basements, for only 50 BIMSTEC employees, said officials of the Planning Commission.

They said that the Physical Infrastructure Division of the Planning Co...