Chattogram Bureau

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Administrator Dr Sahadat Hossain on Friday stressed the need for establishing a city government to develop Chattogram into a planned, clean, green and liveable city.

He made the remarks at a seminar titled “Chattogram: Economic Gateway & Lifeline of Bangladesh” organised by the Commonwealth Journalists Association-Bangladesh Chapter (CJA-B) at the auditorium of the World Trade Centre in Agrabad.

Sahadat said it had become difficult for the city corporation to coordinate development activities and public services as different agencies were responsible for different aspects of urban management. “Establishing a city government will help bring development planning and service delivery under a coordinated framework.”

Describing greater Chattogram as Bangladesh’s arteries, he warned that weak connectivity and poor infrastructure coordination could hamper the city's development, just as blocked arteries affect the heart. "Before implementing a project, we must plan how to make it feasible and sustainable," he said.

Sharing his experience in office, the CCC administrator said he had been advocating the establishment of a city government since the first day of taking office as its mayor, as he realised that it would be difficult to build a planned city without such a system.

Although the mayor is often regarded as the city's guardian, he said, many important areas remained outside the city corporation's direct control.

Sahadat said some aspects of waste management fell under the district administration, while certain playgrounds were not under the city corporation's control. “Various development works in the Agrabad area are also being carried out by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA).”

He said coordination among different agencies was essential to address waterlogging, keep the city clean, expand greenery and ensure a healthy urban environment.

The CCC administrator stressed that such coordination should be institutionalised at the state level rather than being limited to meetings among agencies.

Referring to solar power allocations for 13 city corporations, he said Dhaka South and Dhaka North each received Tk 10 crore, while Chattogram received Tk 5 crore.

Sahadat also mentioned recent allocations of Tk 1,500 crore each to two city corporations, saying the disparities reflected Chattogram's neglect despite its potential and should be raised at relevant forums.

He said people expected Chattogram to be developed like Singapore or Toronto, but the city corporation was not being given the authority and responsibilities required to achieve that goal.

The administrator also urged journalists to focus on data-driven reporting on urban issues instead of highlighting isolated incidents without examining the broader situation.

Highlighting Chattogram's potential in tourism, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and chip manufacturing, and the leather industry, he said coordinated planning and initiatives were needed to develop these sectors.

Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammed Amirul Haque delivered the keynote speech at the seminar.

He said Chattogram is the lifeline and economic gateway of Bangladesh, and its development is essential to achieving the country's long-term socio-economic goals.

Amirul called for the timely implementation of infrastructure projects under the Integrated Growth Network Development (IGND), in consultation with the private sector.

His proposals included expanding the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to eight lanes, upgrading key railway and road links, introducing high-speed electric trains, improving connectivity with Matarbari deep-sea port and developing multimodal transport facilities.

He also stressed the need to digitise and automate port, customs and cargo-handling services, reduce bureaucratic procedures, ensure policy coordination and accountability, increase private-sector participation in policymaking and hold regular public hearings to address business community concerns.

Among others, CJA Secretary General Osman Gani Mansur, Jatiya Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, former Associated Press (AP) Bangladesh bureau chief and former UNB Editor Farid Hossain, AP Bangladesh bureau chief Julhas Alam and Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain attended the programme with Parveen F Chowdhury, president of the CJA-B, in the chair.

Journalists from four districts, researchers, planners, academics and other professionals also attended the event.