Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam has said that the government is planning to construct a marine drive from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar. He hoped that a new window for the economy would be opened with the completion of the marine drive.
The Minister was speaking at a discussion held at Chittagong Circuit House on Thursday.
The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) organized the meeting on improving the navigability of the Karnaphuli River.
The authorities also want to implement a master plan for checking encroachment, pollution and addressing waterlogging in the port city.
“Many hotels, motels, restaurants, mills and factories will be established in the region with the construction of the marine drive. It will create employment opportunities and a new horizon will be opened in the tourism sector,” the minister said.
Dubbing the port city as the hub of trade and commerce, the minister said that the beauty of the city could not be spoilt through constructing unplanned infrastructure in the name of development.
Sounding a note of warning, the Minister said that drives would be conducted within a very short time to remove the structures encroaching on government land.
Urging all government agencies, including Chittagong port that are receiving services from the city corporation, to clear all dues of the corporation, the minister said that city roads were getting damaged as hundreds of heavy vehicles of different government agencies used the roads.
“The city corporation alone cannot bear the expenses of repairing the roads. That’s why all organizations should pay the revenues of the corporation on time,” the minister said.
“Government services should not be provided to any agency free of cost. All must receive services after paying their fees. This will help increase government revenue and improve the quality of services,” the minister added.
Referring to the sincerity of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the port city, the minister sought cooperation from all to turn Chittagong into a modern and spectacular city.
Minister of State for Water Resources Zahid Faruk and Minister of State for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed were present at the meeting.
Senior Secretaries of the LGED and Water Resources ministries, Shipping Ministry Secretary, Chittagong Divisional Commissioner, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner, CCC Administrator, CPA Chairman, Managing Director of CWASA and other high officials also attended the meeting.
