Bangladesh projects its economy to grow by 7.65 percent economic growth for the fiscal 2017-18 ending on Jun 30, heading for the fastest pace ever.

The government had set a target of 7.4 percent GDP growth in the budget announced for the current fiscal year.

The country achieved a growth of 7.28 percent in the last fiscal. After being stuck in 6 percent growth for nearly a decade, Bangladesh finally passed 7 percent mark in fiscal 2015-16.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal revealed the key economic projections on Monday during the meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Speaking to the media after the key meeting, Kamal said the economy is expected to expand to $274.5 billion by the end of the fiscal year from $249 billion last year.

Per capita income will rise to $1,752 in fiscal 2017-18 from $1,610 a year ago, he said adding the estimates are based on data from July to March) of the ongoing fiscal year.

Tuesday’s ECNEC meeting cleared ten development projects worth Tk 34.15 billion, which includes upgrading the highway from Tangail’s Elenga to Jamalpur to a four-lane road.