Optimum use of land in BD
Our per capita land is seriously scarce. Therefore, we must always be extra cautious, smart and innovative in planning and taking up projects that involve huge land mass. Case in point is the proposed Bangabandhu City and Airport. The project is needed and is really grand in its scale. But do we have so much of land mass to go ahead? I am not against having an airport with future needs. But I strongly feel we are simply rushing to 'launch' such programme. Local people are apprehensive about its impact on their life and economy. They do not see any good in mass displacement and local culture is likely to be disturbed. Worst of all, most of the land lost to the mega project will be arable land. Farmers will lose their livelihood and a lot of crops will be lost as a result. We can not forget how important is our food security, when every hour there are new mouths to be fed!
Possible alternatives to the project:
---Delay the project to be reconsidered after more surveys.
---Choose new area of less farming importance and minimum displacement.
---Upgrade/expand the current airport to serve another twelve / fifteen years.
---Let the aviation sector evolve gradually to generate professionalism and take new/greater responsibility.
I request the authorities to consider the local situations and implications, vis a vis alternatives.
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