CHATTOGRAM, April 12, 2019 (BSS)- Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today underlined the importance of expansion of both metropolitan and corporation areas considering the need of time and significance.
He said there were 10 to 12 lakh people when Chattogram Municipality started its journey, now the population of the corporation stands at 70 lakh.
Keeping this in view the Sheikh Hasina led government is executing huge mega projects in the city and districts and the first ever tunnel under the river Karnaphuli is being constructed in the sub continent, he said.
The minister said this while addressing the concluding ceremony of month long 27th Chattogram International Trade Fair (CITF) at Bangabandhu Conference hall of the World Trade Center (WTC) this afternoon.
Terming Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) as the country’s oldest trade organizations which made its journey in 1906 the information minister said the WTC has been set up in Chattogram after Mumbai with heartfelt sincerity of Sheikh Hasina.
Dr Hasan Mahmud, also publication and Publicity Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, said nearly 100 special economic zones are being developed in the country with Bangabandhu Industrial City consisting of Mirsari, Sitakunda and Feni areas on 30 thousand acres of land.
“Two to five lakh foreigners will reside Chattogram in next five years for massive industrialization there,” he said underscoring the importance of developing another airport in Hathazari.
Dr Hasan said nearly 17 percent passengers make journey from the Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport though it lacks infrastructural facilities where 52 percent passengers travel from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Listing huge development activities in the country, the information minister said Bangladesh has now been changed under able leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
“Bangladesh is now the country of surplus production of foods, there are three lakh metric tons surplus production of potatoes this year, and we are now exporting rice,” he said.
The information minister said Bangladesh has come up with 30 thousand metric tons of rice as food assistance for the people of tremor-torn Nepal.
“Now Bangladesh does not take assistance rather its gives assistance to other countries,” he observed.
The minister said the per capita income of the country is now around 2,000 US dollars which was only 540 dollar during the BNP regime. Bangladesh is one of the top five countries which maintain high GDP growth, he added.
In response to the demand of the CCCI President Mahbubul Alam the information minister said there must be an equal opportunity for transportation of goods of 13 metric tons weight across the country.
The information minister also announced that initiatives would be taken to issue Import Permit on Agricultural products from Chattogram and Khulna like Dhaka.
With CCCI President Mahabubul Alam in the chair, the concluding function was addressed, among others, by Assistant High Commissioner of India in Chattogram Anindya Bannerjee, Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, Mahmbubur Rahman and Vice President of CCCI Sayed Jamal Ahmed.
CCCI directors and business entrepreneurs, among others, attended the function.
Later, Dr Hasan distributed crests and certificates among the best stalls in the fair.