The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) jointly organized a views exchange meeting on “Chittagong Master Plan Formulation” on Saturday at the Bangabandhu Conference Hall of the World Trade Center.
Chaired by Chamber President Omar Hazzaz, Chittagong-11 Constituency Member of Parliament MA Latif as the Chief Guest, Special Guest are Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Zahirul Alam Dobash, former Chamber President Engineer Ali Ahmed, BGMEA 1st Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, BSRM Group Managing Director Amir Ali Hussain, Former Director of the Chamber Amirul Haque, Chairman of The Peninsula Chittagong Mahbub Rahman Ruhel, IAB-Chittagong Chairman Architect Ashiq Imran, Former President of Engineers Institute of Bangladesh Engineer Mohammad Delwar Hossain, Former Member of Chittagong Port Zafar Alam, Lub-Ref Management Director Mohammad Yusuf, Chamber Directors Md Rakibur Rahman (Tutul), Mahfuzul Haque Shah, Engineer Iftekhar Hossain and Mohammad Aktar Parvez, Chittagong Development Authority Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams, Master Plan Project Director Urban Planner Abu Isa Ansari, BKMEA Director Fauzul Imran Khan, Bangladesh Shop Owners Association Chittagong City President Salamat Ali, Bangladesh Shop Owners Association Chittagong District President Saleh Ahmed Suleman, Chittagong Press Club President Salahuddin Md Reza, Dainik Azadi Chief Reporter Hasan Akbar, Inter-District Freight Transport Organization Truck and Covered Van Owners Association Organizing Secretary Md Shafiur Rahman Tipu, Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Vice President Md Reza Uddin Khan, National Small and Cottage Industries Association of Bangladesh (NASIB) Nurul Azam Khan, REHAB Director Mahbub Sobhan Jalal Tanvir spoke.
MA Latif MP said, “Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invested lakhs of takas in infrastructure development to transform Bangladesh into a trillion dollar economy and build a smart Bangladesh by 2041. Matarbari deep sea port is changing the life line of Dhaka Chittagong economy to Cox's Bazar.
Chittagong will become the international logistics hub of the region. With the foresight of Bangabandhu's daughter, large port-centric industrial factories will be built on the coast of Greater Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. Millions of jobs will be created.
If the direct road is extended from the southern end of Bangabandhu Tunnel to East Anwara to Banshkhali-Chakaria-Pekua-Idmani-Matarbari deep sea port, the distance from Chittagong to Matarbari deep sea port will be about 40 km, will decrease the existing Chittagong-Cox's Bazar highway, will increase mobility especially in passenger and cargo transportation as an alternative, which will simultaneously reduce fuel consumption by 21 thousand crore taka annually.
He said that the interest of foreign investors in Chittagong as the main port city and investment hub of the country is increasing. But there is no permanent convention center or exhibition center here. Recently, I have proposed in the national parliament to make an international standard convention center and Bangladesh showcase on 20 acres of land on the south side of the bay terminal. At the same time, I hope that the Chittagong Chamber will implement it like the World Trade Center. It is important to include this issue in the master plan.
MA Latif said the master plan is being developed to transform Chittagong as part of the Prime Minister's vision of smart, advanced and prosperous industrialization and urbanization by 2041. He proposed to keep Chittagong city in the long-term project master plan for flood-free, modern housing and transportation, prioritizing gas, electricity, communication system and water supply system to attract investment as a commercial city. He said that the natural beauty of Chittagong has separated Chittagong from the rest of Bangladesh. There are mountains on one side and sea on the other. At the same time, there is also Karnaphuli river with unique characteristics. There is no reason for waterlogging as the distance from different points of the city to the river, mountains and sea is short. Just lack of planning. We are dumping all the waste material and filling the canals, ditches so that we can make drainage system under the road to reduce waterlogging. He called for the preparation of the master plan by prioritizing the opinion of the city dwellers.
Special guest Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Zahirul Alam Dobash said, the previous master plans were done by looking at various survey sheets. But before making this master plan, people and stakeholders are given priority. As a result we hope to present a better and better master plan.
He said, currently 21 canals have been rescued and freed from encroachment. The rest of the canals are being de-occupied. Although CDA is held responsible for waterlogging, CDA is responsible for only 380 km of the city's 1680 km of canals. The rest is covered by the City Corporation. He mentioned that in the new master plan, survey is going on for MRT for eco-friendly housing, improved communication system and we have proposed underground MRT from CDA.
Omar Hazzaz, president of the chamber, said that a new city is being built on the south bank of the river around the Bangabandhu tunnel. Where there will be urbanization based on environment friendly industrialization. For this purpose, many people are taking the land and constructing structures with the permission of the local authorities. But the CDA has also been placed across the river in the new master plan. As a result, before the implementation of the master plan, coordination with the local authorities is required. Because there are many kinds of problems in the present city under the CDA across the river. In particular, lack of clean water, sewage system, waterlogging, lack of specific vehicular terminals and lack of zone wise industrialization and urbanization have not resulted in well-planned cities. So we think the industrialization and urbanization around Bangabandhu Talen will be planned and spectacular. Besides, in the new master plan, he called for allocation of space for the construction of permanent terminals at some places in order to decongest Chittagong city.
During this time, the speakers discussed the opinions of various government organizations that have many land assets in Chittagong, especially Chittagong Port, Bangladesh Railway, WASA, as well as the master plan of their own organization to be attached to the new master plan, increasing the capacity of CDA as a regulatory organization, increasing open green space, mass communication system, waste management emphasized on CDA or taking appropriate measures to coordinate the implementation as well as formulation of master plan for a scenic Chittagong with flood relief.
Chamber directors Anjan Shekhar Das, Benazir Chowdhury Nishan, Mahbubul Haque Mia, Omar Muktadir, Chittagong Press Club General Secretary Devdulal Bhowmik were present among others. Prof. Dr. Ahsanul Kabir presented the article on master plan in the discussion meeting.
