Chattogram should adopt tech for a facelift: experts

The public and private sectors should work hand in hand to transform Chattogram into a smart city by adopting new technologies and innovations, analysts said yesterday.

They spoke at the Chattogram Innovation Dialogue held at Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View.

Bangladesh Innovation Conclave in partnership with Access to Information (a2i) programme of the government, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the dialogue.

Md Sirajul Islam, executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, inaugurated the event as the chief guest.

The country's journey towards digital transformation needs to start from Chattogram, said Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, managing director and CEO of Robi Axiata.

"A vast area of Bangladesh can be transformed if the port city can be transformed since the city has huge potential," he said in a keynote speech on "the age of digital disruption".

Chattogram, the country's largest and second most populous division, has only a 4 per cent poverty rate and its gross national income per capita stands at $6,000. Chattogram port handles about 85 per cent of the country's total import and export.

The major challenges that the port city faces include: a lack of smart infrastructure, poor traffic management, low port efficiency, waterlogging, inadequate waste management, and inefficiency in the power and energy sector, according to Ahmed.

He stressed the need for taking pragmatic steps pertaining to environment, economy and governance in order to transform Chattogram into a connected and smart city.

Later in the evening, two panel discussions were held on "What should be the game plan for Chattogram business" and "Creating the future city -- next step".