Chattogram to be world class city

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi  urged the business community in Chattogram to develop the port city into a world-class one.  He made the comment while inaugurating the 28th Chattogram International Trade Fair as its chief guest. The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) organized the fair at the Pologround.

"Chattogram is the lifeline of our economy. This is the international gateway. North-east India wants to use the port. Besides, Nepal and Bhutan also want to take advantage from our port," said the commerce minister. So, Chattogram should be built as a world-class city, he added.

"Business politics is the global politics at the present time. Among the 10 green garment factories in the world, seven of them are in Bangladesh. The top sweater factory is also here. This is a pride for us," Tipu Munshi said.  The minister continued that during the Pakistan regime, there were no Bangladeshi businessmen. "We have become businessmen after the birth of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu created Bangladesh from a small dot." 

CCCI President Mahbubul Alam presided over the event while Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, parliamentarian MA Latif, FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim, and Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mahbubur Rahman, also spoke at the event. Chattogram has most prosperous future if a proper and farsighted plan can be prepared keeping in view the need for future with the application of modern technology.

The plan proposed thus will establish a firm base for prosperous Bangladesh which can become an international gateway for traders of 7 states of Eastern India, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan and south-western province of China. The proposed port will contribute greatly to enhance the life style and fate of the people of this region through attaining economic emancipation. Chattogram has got great potentials endowed with many possibilities.

Surrounded by different styles of landscape pattern, hilly terrain, long sea beach and endless sea limit on the south-western boundary and situated on the bank on the Karnaphuli.

Through a series of research and studies by experts in the related fields it has been found apparent that through reclamation of land by constructing an embankment on the sea side from Patenga to Sitakunda measuring approximately 25 miles along the coast line of the Bay of Bengal a modern sea port can be established.

For providing backyard facilities for the port, vast land can be developed inside the same embankment. As a result of which, the existing industrial activities in the city may be upgraded and modernized compared to the present situation and can create facilities for setting up of new industries, factories and port related business activities in the region.

Construction work on elevated expressway (EE) for Port City   is clearly on in full swing. The idea is for the EE to facilitate smooth communication along an 18-kilometre route running from the historic Lalkhan Bazaar to the Shah Amanat International Airport beside seaport thoroughfare.

Formal construction works begins very recently after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on a campaign-like tour of the region, made it part of an unprecedented 'development package' offered to Chattogram ahead of the 11th parliamentary election held in 2018.Meanwhile the construction of Karnaphuly Tunnel with a mission to turn port city into  Twin City  is progressing fast  in both sides of the river points. Twin city will be designed like as Shanghai city of China.

Local business community and people in general expressed   great excitement and optimism regarding the potential impact of this single infrastructure project. Some of them believe Chittagong will be transformed into "a world-class twin city" once the expressway opens to the public.

Once the nearby designated economic zones of Sitakunda- Mirsarai and  Anowara are up and running at full swing , using Ctg Port to trade and bring in supplies, they believe Chattogram  is bound to be recognized as one of the most important port cities in the world. Prime Minister formally inaugurates the construction work on January 30  last , even though the work had been ongoing for a good few months already.

Visiting the construction site this week, our correspondent found that about 60 pillars have been piled so far. Besides, soil tests have been completed on 450 spots stretching from Lalkhan Bazaar to Barik Building area      near the   No.1   berth   of Chattogram Sea port.

Meanwhile, urban planners suggested preparing alternative roads before implementing the project as some extremely busy areas like Agrabad, the EPZ area, Ports and Customs will be rendered inaccessible during the time of construction in their respective area. Jahirul Alam Dovash, the incumbent Chairman of the Chittagong Development Authority, said the project is being implemented at a cost of Tk 3250 crore, making it the city's largest development project till today.

A journey that currently takes two-and-a half hours which may   be reduced to only half an hour.  According to CDA, a Chinese company named Max-Ranken Joint Venture was tasked with the responsibility to complete the construction of the rest of the project at a cost of TK 2854 crore. A tender was floated for the purpose inviting proposals. It should be mentioned that 10 companies filed their proposals to bag the project.

President of   Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries Mahbubul Alam said , after completing the constructing   project, container-handling capacity of Chittagong Port will also be doubled in the next five years. He sees the port and the country thriving, hand in hand, in 5 years' time.

The situation is bound to improve once the expressway starts operating, he added. Mahbubul also made it a point to thank the prime minister, for what he called "the largest single project in the history of Chattogram".