Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said the government had planned to construct a marine drive from Mirsarai upazila of Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already given instruction in this regard and we will go for feasibility study of the proposed marine drive road project very soon,” he said.
The minister said this while inaugurating the new taxicabs of Trust Transport Services under Bangladesh Army Welfare Trust supervision at East Bengal Regiment Centre Conference Hall of Chittagong Cantonment.
Addressing the event as chief guest, the minister said 600 taxicabs would be introduced in Dhaka and Chittagong in phases to meet the demand for quality public transport.
Hoping Chittagong region to become a hub for trade and commerce, the minister also said a new era of development would ensue when the government initiatives, including the tunnel under Karnaphuli River, deep sea port in Sonadia of Cox’s Bazar, and the coal-fired mega power plant in Maheskhali would be implemented.
Also present in the event, Major General (Retd) AKM Mujahid Uddin, chairman of Trust Transport Service, hoped that the service would prove to be successful following the army's high standard of discipline, efficiency, and honesty.
“The service has already become popular in the capital and I hope that it will also be the same in the port city,” said Major General Sabbir Ahmed, general officer commanding (GOC) of 24 Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army.
The taxicab fare for the first two kilometres is Tk85 and Tk34 for every additional kilometre. Tk8.5 will be charged for every two minutes of waiting. The on-call rate for the cabs is Tk20.
The taxi cab service will be tracked from a control room of the Trust Transport Services office located at Chittagong Cantonment.
Former Chittagong City Corporation Mayor ABM Mahiuddin Chowdhury, Chittagong Development Authority Chairman Abdus Salam, Lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman, Chittagong district Superintendent of Police AKM Hafiz Akhter and Chittagong Metropolitan Police (Administration, Traffic and Finance) AKM Shahidur Rahman attended the inaugural programme among others.
