Ctg city dev should be need-based: speakers

CHITTAGONG, Jan 29: Speakers at a seminar on city governance said development projects undertaken by government agencies in Chittagong should be need-based and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and other agencies should be given enough administrative power to mobilise their own funds lessening dependence on the centre.
Managing Director of AK Khan and Co Salauddin Kashem Khan said the projects of CCC should not gather dust in government offices rather the City Corporation should be empowered to implement development projects under PPP (public- private partnership).
"Why does not the government allow the CCC to take development project funds from the local and foreign private entrepreneurs? Proposals worth hundreds of millions of US dollar are lying pending with me for undertaking development initiatives," he said.
He said Chittagong demands real development for the welfare of the common people as it contributes 12 per cent to the national GDP and 34 per cent to the national economic growth.
BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University arranged the seminar on launching of its annual flagship research report titled 'State of Cities: Governance for a live-able Chittagong' at the Chittagong Club auditorium this morning.
Chaired by BIGD executive director Dr Sultan Hafeez Rahman the function was also addressed as the chief guest by Minister for Housing and Public Works Engineer Mosharraf Hossain and president of Forum for Planned Chittagong Prof Muhammad Sekandar Khan, general secretary of the forum Architect Zarina Hossain as guests of honour. Head of politics, democracy and governance, BIGD Dr Tofail Ahmed addressed the function while Engineer Delwar Majumder, councillor Rehana Begum Ranu, former secretary of Chittagong WASA Syed Shafiquddin, NGO activist Iqbal Bahar Sabery and Mahbuba Nasreen participated in the discussion moderated by Ekram Hossain, project manager (communications), BIGD, BRAC University.
This is the third report of the State of Cities series published by BIGD, BRAC University. The previous two reports, published in 2012 and 2013, analysed the state of urban governance of Dhaka and Narayanganj. The institute launched the series to promote research and analysis as well as to spur intellectual debates on city governance in Bangladesh.
Speaking as the chief guest on the occasion Minister for Housing and Public Works Engineer Mosharraf Hossain MP admitted that the port city is not worthy of living for human beings in the recent years.
In his keynote speech M Shahidul Islam said the 1.5-kilometre Bahaddarhat flyover constructed by the CDA (Chittagong Development Authority) at the cost of Tk 1,450 million has had little impact on mitigating the congestion problem of the area.
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