The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a seminar here on Tuesday called upon the government to take immediate necessary measures to build the proposed Dhaka-Laksham railway cord line to reduce distance between Chittagong and Dhaka.

The proposed cord line hanging in balance for long will reduce length of the Dhaka-Chittagong railway link by 100 kilometers and journey time by two to three hours, they said.

The speakers also urged the government to take pragmatic steps for exploiting the tourism prospect of picturesque Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, offshore islands and three hill districts for greater economic benefit of the country.

Chittagong Juba Parishad arranged the seminar on 'Development issue of Chittagong in national interest and political consensus" at Jatiya Press Club (JPC).

President of the Juba Parishad M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury presented a keynote paper at the seminar while leader of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Moin Uddin Khan Badal, Jatiya Party leader Prof. Masuda M Rashid, Chairman of Institute of Development Studies Dr Mostafizur Rahman, and officials of the Parishad HM Ibrahim and Roni Dey, among others, addressed the seminar.

The speakers said development of Chittagong should be considered as part of overall development of the country. Once 'queen of east' Chittagong is loosing attraction as well as importance to people of all classes due to long negligence to its development, they said.

Considering the position of Chittagong on the edge of two tectonic plates, Moin Uddin Khan Badal urged the government to take a required disaster management plan for the second biggest city of the country to face any severe hit of earthquake.

The speakers also demanded release of first elected mayor of Chittagong ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury terming him as a pioneer for development of Chittagong.

The Parishad put forward an 11-point proposal to build Chittagong so that the port city can play more significant role in the economic progress of the country.

The demands include creation of special tourist zone for foreigners in Cox's Bazar and offshore islands, declaration of Saint Martin and Sonadia islands as exclusive tourist areas, urgent construction of 4-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway and infrastructural development of Chittagong Port.