Ctg mayor aspirants promise youths clean city
In the absence of four candidates including the two leading ones, a UNDP-sponsored dialogue between the mayor aspirants of Chittagong City Corporation and the young voters was held yesterday.
Around 200 young participants from universities, colleges and marginalised groups conveyed their expectations, while all eight participating candidates pledged to build a clean city free from corruption, traffic congestion, waterlogging and pollution.
An unclean, polluted city is a barrier for foreign investment, said one aspirant Shafiul Alam, blaming ineligible mayors and corruption for creation of such a situation.
Jatiya Party-backed aspirant Solaiman Alam Seth said five years was enough for development of a city, and he had plans to form committees comprising youths, civil society members, and resource persons in all 41 wards of the city for planning development interventions.
MA Matin pledged to build bicycle lanes, while Mujibul Haque emphasised preparing a proper plan to turn Chittagong into a green city.
Talking to The Daily Star, both AZM Nasir Uddin, blessed by Awami League, and M Manjur Alam, backed by BNP, regretted, saying they could not attend due to business in campaigns.
A young participant, Rubaiya Tasneem Brishty, president of Chittagong University School of Debate, said they had expected both and their absence frustrated them.
Titled "Chittagong: in the eyes of youths”, the discussion was organised at Theatre Institute, Chittagong, by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
In her welcome address, UNDP Country Director Pauline Tamesis said Bangladesh was blessed with a large young population, and its progress hinged on them.
Robaet Ferdous, an associate professor at Dhaka University, moderated the programme.
Comments