Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud suggested completing the feasibility study of the Metrorail project in Chattogram by this year. He said that we have to work towards the goal that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lay the foundation stone of Metrorail by the beginning of 2023.
He made the remarks at an exchange of views on the preliminary survey work of Metrorail, including the transport master plan of Chattogram city, at the conference room of Chattogram Circuit House on Tuesday (8 February).
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said that since the British period, Chattogram is the most important city after Kolkata. Work is underway to build 100 important economic zones across the country. The country is becoming an industrialised country. Bangladesh has come a long way in the industrial sector. The Metrorail can go from Bangabandhu Tunnel to Chattogram Railway Station, and Chattogram University, since the shuttle operates there. In addition, planning should be done keeping in mind how the Metrorail can be taken across the river.
By expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister, Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that the Prime Minister has announced the establishment of Metrorail in Chattogram and directed the Ministry of Communications to implement it. In fact, after the formation of the government in 2009, the Prime Minister announced that she had taken over the development of Chattogram. This was not limited to just the announcement. Development activities are going on around Chattogram today in keeping with her word. It is clear from her announcement to set up Metrorail that she has taken the development of Chattogram upon her shoulders.
She said the Bay Terminal is being built with double the capacity of Chittagong port. It will be a regional port. Along with this Matarbari is becoming a deep seaport. All in all, in the next ten years, the urbanisation of Chattogram will be much faster. With that in mind, the Prime Minister can see the future. We don’t have the same foresight as her. That is why she has announced to set up a Metrorail in Chattogram in the interest of the development of the country.
Additional Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Department Md. Abdul Malek, Joint Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, former Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Chairman of Chattogram Development Authority Zahirul Alam Dobhas, former Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation AJM Nasir Uddin, Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority Rear Admiral M Shahjahan, Deputy Country Director of KOICA Eon Kin gave the special guest speeches at the program presided over by Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md. Ashraf Uddin and conducted by Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mominur Rahman.
South Korean development agency KOICA is working on a feasibility study for a Metrorail project in Chattogram. A total cost of more than Tk 70 crores has been estimated for this work. KOICA will provide Tk 51 crores and the Ministry of Communications will provide Tk 20 crores.
