Satkhira Correspondent

District Citizen Committee submitted a memorandum to Sadar (106) MP demanding allocation of funds for various development projects of Satkhira in the upcoming national budget.

On Wednesday at 12:30 pm, the leaders of the organization met Mir Mostak Ahmed Robi, Member of Parliament of Satkhira Sadar Constituency and presented the memorandum containing the demands. Satkhira District Citizens Committee Convener Adv Azad Hossain Belal led by retired principal Prof. Abdul Hamid, retired principal Ashek-e-Elahi, Sk Harun ur Rashid, Madhav Chandra Dutt, Sk Siddiqur Rahman, Adv Munir Uddin and others were present.

In the memorandum, quoting the report published by the World Bank on May 19, 2023, it is said, '9.8 million people from coastal areas have been forced to move to Dhaka city due to the destruction of their homes due to cyclones, river erosion and natural disasters. Due to this, the existence of Sundarbans is threatened. Many families are stopping their children from going to school.

Poverty is increasing. In the memorandum, referring to the various initiatives already taken by the government to advance this lagging area through massive employment creation, increase in education rate and economic development, it is mentioned that most of the development is not sustainable due to various reasons including frequent natural disasters due to climate change.

In the memorandum, implementation of the project 'Construction of broad gauge railway line from Navaran to Satkhira' and 'Construction of broad gauge railway line from Satkhira to Munshiganj' to include this area in the stream of ongoing development of the country. To begin with, the demand was made to implement the government decision to construct Satkhira Economic Zone and International Standard Sports Complex in Satkhira.

The memorandum also said that due to non-allocation of funds, no visible progress has been made in these projects undertaken by the government. Apart from these projects which are important for the development of the district, the issue of upgradation of Satkhira to the first class district and allocation of money for these projects in the next national budget along with the formation of separate coastal board and special allocation was drawn to the attention of the parliament member.

Besides, 21-point demands of the citizens' committee were presented. The Member of Parliament agreed with the demands of the Citizens' Committee and stated that he has already tried to implement them quickly and expressed his confidence to carry out more activities in the future.