The government is going to start a feasibility study with the help of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for launching a planned transport system, including metro-rail, in Chittagong, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
He said a survey project is being taken under the Road Transport and Highways Division at a cost of around Tk77 crore where the Korean government would provide Tk51 crore as a grant.
Quader, also Awami League General Secretary, said this while briefing journalists after a delegation led by the South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-Keun met with him at the secretariat on Sunday.
He said the initiative has been taken to construct metro rail in Chittagong city to fulfill the long-standing expectations of its people.
"The Road Transport and Highways Division has taken a measure to establish metro Rail in Chittagong at the instructions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to utilize the enormous potential of the port city and fulfill the long-cherished aspirations of its people," Quader said.
Mentioning that the preliminary discussions with the Korean Ambassador and the KOICA delegation were held, Quader said an expert survey team from Korea is visiting Bangladesh to this end.
The team will exchange views and collect data from all stakeholders involved in the development of Chittagong city from February 8-12, he said.
He continued that a view exchange meeting will be held at Chittagong Circuit House on February 8 in the presence of Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud.
The survey team will meet the Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Md Nazrul Islam at a review meeting on February 15 in Dhaka, Quader said.
He hoped that an integrated transport plan will be prepared for Chittagong city under the project alongside holding a feasibility study of the mass transit lines or metro rail.