Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Sunday announced plans to build modern and low-cost accommodation facilities for expatriates in Sylhet.
“Since Sylhet is an expatriate-dominated area, many expatriates don’t find suitable hotels to stay at the airport at night. Keeping this in mind, a 10-storey building with modern facilities will be constructed at Overseas Bhaban in Zindabazar. It will have a hotel, training centre and a branch of Probashi Kallyan Bank,” he said while addressing a meeting of the district law and order committee held at the conference room of the Sylhet Deputy Commissioner's office.
The minister also urged all to save energy and electricity. “The Prime Minister himself has reduced the use of lights and AC at his office. Through this, he has given a message of saving electricity to everyone,” he said.
About the prevention of criminal activities ahead of Eid in the district, Ariful Haque said that surveillance should be increased to combat snatching. In addition, the market and the entire city should be brought under the CCTV camera coverage, he added.
He said that snatchers quickly escape the scene on motorcycles after snatching. Therefore, in addition to controlling the movement of motorcycles, those should be banned from entering the market in many cases, he added.
The minister further said that initiatives will be taken to establish schools and hospitals for education and treatment of the children of expatriates.
Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, MP, and BNP Sylhet city unit general secretary Imdad Hossain Chowdhury also addressed the meeting with Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwar Alam in the chair.
Officials from various government departments were present at the meeting.