The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

All preparations have been made for hosting the first-ever meeting of the advisory council here in the port city today.

All eyes are on the meeting, fifth of its kind after capital city during the tenure of present military-backed caretaker government.

Holding of such meeting in the port city is important in the sense that the issues of regional and national significance receive due focus.

Chittagonians especially the business people are eagerly waiting for the meeting aimed at pinpointing the regional issues including gas, power, water logging, traffic congestion and trade and investment climate.

Informed sources said that formal announcement of forming a separate gas transmission company KGTL in Chittagong is expected from the Chief Adviser Dr Farkruddin Ahmed who is scheduled to preside over the meeting.

Other important spot decisions for resolving gas, power and water logging problems may come up from the meeting.

Another unconfirmed sources said that Chief Adviser is likely to announce huge investment proposal of the Mittal Group, a Britain based Indian industrial giant, for infrastructure development of Chittagong city.

Earlier, the national committee meeting held in Dhaka on Sunday formed a three-member committee headed by Managing Director of Petro Bangla to supply gas to as many as 11 industries out of 32 in Chittagong on priority basis.

The meeting also took decision for uninterrupted power supply during the Ramzan by rationing system.

Meanwhile, President in-charge of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry M A Latif placed a four point proposals before the government to discuss in the advisory council meeting which include setting up of industrial park, development of tourism spots of Chittagong by open competition, generation of power by joint initiative of both public and private and effective measure for easing sever traffic congestion of the port city.

The circuit house which had got facelift by the then four party alliance to hold first cabinet meeting at a cost of TK 22 lakh renovation works in 2004 is now made ready.

As many as 35 chairs from TOBI furniture including Chief Adviser's one were set up and nearly 40 microphones, have also been installed on each chair in the conference room.

Cabinet division is itself monitoring all arrangements and district administration is extending all out logistic support Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim told the reporters yesterday.

Advance team of the Special Security Forces (SSF) held a series of meetings with concerned departments, public utility services and other related bodies on Monday to ensure overall arrangement for holding the meeting.