Concerted efforts to build port city a commercial capital underscored

CHITTAGONG, Feb 1: The elected representatives of Chittagong in the national parliament have stressed the need for concerted efforts to build a truly commercial capital in the port city by expediting ongoing development schemes including the 4-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway, tackling gas crisis and construction of the Karnaphuli tunnel and link road.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) organised today a reception for three lawmakers who in the past led the premier trade body CCCI as presidents and directors.
State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Zaved and ruling party MP MA Latif and Md Didarul Alam were accorded the reception presided over by CCCI president Mahbubul Alam. MP Zaved and MP Latif are former presidents of the CCCI and MP Didar is a former director.
The function was also addressed by former lawmaker Md Ishaq Meah, senior vice president of CCCI Nurun Newaj Selim, vice president Syed Jamal and director Mahfuzul Hoque Shah, former CCCI president Shafiur Rahman and Engineer Ali Ahmed, Women Chamber president Quamrun Malek, SAARC Chamber director SM Nurul Huq, Daily Purbokone managing editor Jashim Uddin Chowdhury and veteran trade body leader Taher Sobhan, among others.
State Minister Zaved said the three ministers representing Public Works, Water and Land ministries will coordinate the development schemes for Chittagong because the port city stands between two important regional forums like SAARC and ASEAN.
The Dhaka-Chittagong highway will be broadened to 6-lane express toll-way on the BOT (build, operate and transfer) basis and the Chittagong-Yangon flight will be operated on touch-down basis. Besides, necessary steps will be taken for restoring gas connection to the factories located in Chittagong region very shortly.
As regards land dispute he said 80 per cent of the land disputes are related with legal complexities. The government is going to introduce automation system from the existing manual one on the short term, mid-term and long- term plan and bring the land registration activities under the ministry of land and make arrangements for proper use of land by demarcating land into region-based industrial and agricultural zones, he said.
Chowdhury said he has planned to set up two government high schools after the Bangabandhu and Bangamata, construct a monument and eco-park. "There was a time when I was involved with politics. And as a businessman I was president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry," he said.
MA Latif stated that Bangladesh now remains in the development highway and within next 10 years it will give a new look. He emphasized on the construction of a link road with Malaysia, Singapore, Bangkok and Korea through the link road with Myanmar.
Didarul Alam expressed determination to bring an end to the anarchy and destructive activities in the Sitakunda section of the Chittagong-Dhaka highway.