Dhaka, April 27 -- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructs officials to maintain austerity in spending and scrutinising development projects to check to what extent they are beneficial to the people.

The direction was given Sunday at the second meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) under the new government, in view of crunch time and government pledges.

"The prime minister has given clear directives regarding development projects. That is, we have to maintain austerity and scrutinise the rationale of spending," State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki told newsmen after the meeting, held at the secretariat with the prime minister presiding.

He said the prime minister also asked officials to scrutin...