Ctg city gets its first airplane restaurant
While the government remains indifferent to developing infrastructure for the scenic places of Chittagong leaving their tourism potentials untapped, two local youths have come up with a unique idea to attract visitors in Patenga sea beach area.
Changing the seat decoration of a scrapped airplane, they have launched the “Urojahaj Mini Chinese and Restaurant” just opposite the beach.
Zakir Hossain, a former employee at Shah Amanat International Airport, and Manjur Alam, a local businessman, have invested around Tk 48 lakh for the whole project, including the purchase of the plane.
After placing the 75 feet long aircraft on a compound of around 72 decimals of land, which they rented initially for five years for a monthly Tk 15,000 rent, they started their journey on March 26 this year.
Thirty people can sit at once in the restaurant where dry foods like cakes, patis and cold drinks, tea and coffee are only served now.
Uttam Kumar, a staff of the restaurant, said they charge each visitor an additional Tk 30 alongside the food cost.
Before the month of Ramadan, about 100 people used to visit the restaurant daily, which remains open throughout the week, said one of the owners, Zakir. They hope that after Eid-ul-Fitr, the number of the visitors will increase over the time, as more and more people will come to know about it.
Zakir said Chinese, Indian and other cuisines will be added to the menu after Eid. Besides, they are also planning to install mini rides for children on the restaurant premises.
While the individuals are trying to use the tourism potential of the scenic beach for the business purpose, the government is yet to implement its development plan for the area.
As a result, the picturesque area has been scattered with hundreds of makeshift shops erected in an unplanned way.
Two years ago, Chittagong City Corporation took up a Tk 93 crore project to acquire 40 acres of land in Patenga beach area and give it to the private sector for developing tourism infrastructure, including a planetarium, an aquarium, a park, a five-star hotel, a banquet hall, and more than a dozen motels.
The city corporation authorities sent the project proposal to the tourism ministry for a no-objection certificate in January 2012, but no response came from the ministry yet, said Rafiqul Islam Manik, the project director.
Moreover, he said, Chittagong Development Authority has set aside 150 acres of land for development of tourism infrastructure in the beach area. This plan has stalled too, due to lack of a specific move till date.
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